Fighting Fate
by Allendra
Summary: Zelink AU Princess Zelda knows she is destined to join with the chosen Hero and defeat a great evil. But she doesn't know what form this evil will take, or who the Hero will be. That all changes the day she goes to the public execution of a criminal named Link.
1. Part 1 Chapter 1

**Well here it is! The start of my third Zelda epic. I've decided to do some things differently this time around to set it apart from my other two. It's a story I'm really excited about, so I hope you guys enjoy it! I hope to update bi-weekly, but of course life happens so I can just try my best to give you guys consistent updates. 8D **

**WARNING: Rated a very high T for language, sensuality, violence, and mature subject matter. You be the judge if you should read this or not. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda**

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**Prologue**

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The rain poured down on Hyrule Castle in an unrelenting torrent. It splashed off of the battlements, drummed against the windows, and ran in sheets down the straight stone walls. Lightning flashes would illuminate the castle, and the city nestled around it, closed up tight against the weather. The Hylian flags, blue with the white symbol of a bird and Triforce, snapped in the wind.

Two guards huddled in the corners between tower and wall as they stood watch over the drawbridge that was moaning in the wind. The rain _pinged _off of their silver armor in an irritating melody.

"Bloody storm," one of the guards snapped. "It's useless for us to be up here. Can't see nothin' in this darkness." He turned to his companion, a few feet away, "Hey, Jon, can you see anyhin'?"

Jon shook his head, blinking the rain out of his eyes. "No, nothing. Not much, at least."

"Everyone else has gone inside, I bet you. We're the only two idiots still at our posts."

"Something could happen, Kev," Jon said reproachfully. "We're doing our duty."

"I didn't sign up to stand for hours in the middle of a storm sent straight from hell," the other man complained. "I think the Goddesses are angry about somethin'."

Jon sighed. He was an old man, having served for Hyrule's military his entire life. Kev, however, was a new recruit. And Jon could swear all new soldiers were the same. Full of complaints, lazy, bitter, it made him wonder if all the pride had gone out of the army. That was what happened during peace times, though. Nobody signed up for honor and patriotism. They did so because they had no other options.

Jon squinted out at the horizon. He could still see a red shimmer, far, far away. It had worried him, but when he'd voiced his concern to Kev the younger man just laughed and said that maybe Trash City had finally caught fire. But the faint glow seemed to slowly be diminishing, barely there most of the time, so Jon had paid it no more heed.

"Maybe we can get out of our shift early," Kev suggested. "I have standing water in my boots. Could get me sick, you know? I wonder what mood the Captain's in, if maybe-" He cut off abruptly, straightening. "Whoa, Jon, someone is coming!"

Jon followed his gaze to the stones that paved the main street through Hyrule Castle City to the drawbridge. Indeed, someone was coming. A rider on horseback, his dark cloak flying behind him and revealing light armor underneath. The horse skidded to a stop before the churning moat, its rider shouting out, "_Lower the bridge! I have news for the king_!"

"Who are you?" Kev called back.

"Officer James Williams from the Kakariko Village patrol!"

Jon and Kev exchanged a look before quickly lowering the drawbridge. Before Kev could protest, Jon climbed down to the street and hurriedly escorted the officer towards the castle. It would do the younger soldier good to learn some patience on his own.

James dismounted at the stairs to the castle, Jon hurrying up to help hand off the horse to one of the door soldiers. "What's going on?"

"Just take me to the king," James panted, sounding exhausted. "It's not good news."

They went inside the shelter of the castle, the storm still roaring outside and rattling the windows. They left puddles on the marble floor as they went down the central corridors towards the throne room. The hour was late, it was unlikely the king would be in there, but they could ask the guards outside to summon him if that was the case.

"Is the king inside?" Jon asked as the huge double doors and the two guards came into view.

"Yes, sir," one replied. "He's in there with the princess."

"I must speak to him immediately," James said, his dark hair hanging wet against his face.. "There's been an incident."

The guard opened the door and James jogged in, forcing Jon to hurry after him. It was a custom for soldiers, usually senior ones, to escort a guest to their destination in Hyrule Castle. And since this seemed a matter in which Hyrule's military might need to get involved, Jon thought it best he listened to the issue so he could inform the Captain.

The throne room was wide and rectangular, but most of its grandeur was hidden in the shadows due to the darkness outside. Only a small amount of light came from a few torches close to the throne, where the king and his daughter, a pretty blonde girl of five years, sat.

But at their hurried entrance, King Daphnes stood up, smoothing down his regal attire. His hair was thick and brown, a beard covering his jaw. He was a tall, bulky man with a deep voice. "Yes?"

"Your Majesty," James sighed. "I have . . . terrible news."

The king frowned. "What is it?"

Jon pulled his helmet off, his short hair sticking to his head as he looked over at the officer.

"Kakariko Village . . . it's been burned to the ground, Your Majesty," James replied.

The old soldier was too experienced to let his shock show, but he blinked wide eyes at the other man, his eyebrows pulled low. Kakariko Village destroyed? Was that the red glow he'd seen in the distance? It must have been a massive fire to survive through such rain.

King Daphnes glanced down at the little girl who was huddling close to his legs, shy of the strangers. "Zelda, sweetheart, go to your room. It's getting late and Daddy has business to attend to."

She nodded. "Night, Daddy." He paused for her hug before she padded out of the room and they were alone.

The king rubbed his forehead, sitting back on the golden throne. "How many dead?"

James shrugged. "Most of them, I believe. It was so sudden."

"How did this happen? Who attacked?" Jon asked.

James glanced at him. "That's just the problem. We don't know. Kakariko is a small village, strangers are instantly noticed. We didn't see anybody foreign. Of course, one or two people may pass secretly if they tried."

"So this was the work of one person?" the king asked, looking weary and worried, the storm raging outside.

"The fires . . . they started in multiple places. I didn't stop to count, but I'd guess about five different places in Kakariko Village ignited all within a few minutes. None of my patrol saw anybody running around with a torch or oil the way they'd need to to set off these fires."

King Daphnes frowned. "So what are you suggesting happened?"

Jon watched the man expectantly, stunned by the story he was hearing.

James shook his head. "Honestly, Your Majesty? An entire village has been burned away, killing almost everyone. There was no attack, no ambush, and we have no idea who did it. Magic, perhaps? Or just a well-conceived plan? But even with those explanations, we don't know why."

The king nodded, deep in thought. He echoed, "Yes, yes. Why would anybody destroy Kakariko?"

"It wasn't a terrorist group or they would have left a calling card," James continued. "I only have two guesses. Whoever started these fires wanted to destroy something in Kakariko, or," he shrugged one shoulder, "they wanted to kill someone."

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**Part I**

**Chapter 1**

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_Fourteen years later . . . . _

Zelda hated going to public executions. She thought the entire affair was long, disappointing, and sometimes rather gory. To watch crook after crook have their numerous crimes read to them and then get permanently punished for their lifetime of poor choices – for those were the kinds of criminals that were executed, career criminals or, at times, severe rape and murder charges – was a tiring process. It wasn't that she didn't feel sorry for the loss of their lives. She did. But she thought it was a waste. These people who chose to live outside the law and make victims of others rather than work hard and try to be successful. It was truly the scum of Hyrule that came up for executions. It made her disappointed in the people of her country.

But, at nineteen years old, she was required to go. In a few years she'd be ready to take the throne herself. And so her father, King Daphnes, had spent the last four years integrating her into every royal, political, traditional, and legal process. Her mother had died when she was very young, leaving her with no siblings. That put further pressure on her to eventually marry and produce an heir. But if there was one thing Zelda could control it was that, and she was going to wait until she was good and ready. She didn't want to raise a child now. And though she couldn't resist batting eyelashes at the young, handsome knights that guarded the castle, she liked to flirt freely without the weight of looking for a serious relationship.

Zelda waited in her bedroom for her escort, hand splayed out on a wooden desk and paintbrush in the other. She dabbed it in some blue paint before gently touching the tip to the back of her hand. She began a swirling, flowery pattern, inspired by the vase of irises against her wall. The blue lines curved eloquently over her skin, accenting the curves of her hand in all the right ways. Once she had the larger pattern done she began adding smaller details. Flourishes and circles and waves that came together beautifully.

A knock sounded, a soldier's voice saying, "Princess Zelda, it's time for the hangings."

She put up her paintbrush, quickly blowing on the paint to help it dry. "Come in, I'm ready!"

The door opened, revealing the aging solider Jon, his thin face adorned with wrinkles. He took one look at her hand and the wrinkles deepened into a frown. "Your Highness, that . . . _that _is not appropriate." He looked pointedly at the paint on her hand.

She waved at him dismissively as she stood, the silk skirt of her silver dress flowing around her legs. Royalty was encouraged to wear dark colors at executions, in a show of grief and solemnity. "You're speaking with my father's voice, there. Let him gripe if he wants to."

He grunted. "Not that my opinion counts for much, but I don't think that is even art what you young people do."

She laughed, stepping out into the hall with him. "It's called body-painting. It's the new thing, everyone is doing it!"

Jon sighed as he walked by her side down the corridors, two more guards following silently behind. "Yes, I've seen the teenagers and young adults coloring themselves up like that. I suppose I understand it as a feminine thing, but it baffles me why the boys do it."

"The boys don't do it, Jon," she answered with a smile. "Girls body-paint them if they love them. It's like an early engagement ring, only one that girls give to guys."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm too old for this new age stuff."

Zelda very much liked Jon. He'd been around as long as she could remember, and his extensive service had made him a trustworthy and close guard of the royal family. He was usually amiable, if not a bit opinionated in the old-person sort of way, and her father valued his thoughts.

The princess had her thick blonde hair done in waves, part of it tied back to show her face more. She was always told she had a beautiful face, with smooth cheekbones, a gentle jaw line, and eyes as blue as the sky. She also tried to keep herself slender, with daily walks around the courtyards. She didn't mind those since they gave her a chance to gossip with her friends.

She, Jon, and the guards exited the castle through a side door and took a back road towards their destination in an effort to stay away from the hubbub of the city. This road was made for such ease of access for the royal family and guards.

Zelda often felt like a normal young lady, despite her royal birth. But there was one thing that set her apart from the others. The Triforce. She had a piece of it inside her, and sometimes she thought she could hear it speaking to her and guiding her. Apparently she had been born with it, a mark that she was destined for greatness. The oracles had told a prophecy the day of her birth, spoken directly to the king and queen. They said that the princess, who holds a piece of the Triforce, who has been chosen by the goddesses, will one day unite with the chosen Hero and defeat an evil that will rise to claim Hyrule. It was all very dark and depressing. But also romantic and adventurous. She would go down in history for her glorious deed, for certain! The worst thing for royalty was to not be remembered except as a single name in a history book. And the idea of joining with a Hero was exciting. She often wondered who this valiant man would be. She figured it was one of the knights. They were all so noble, strong, and loyal. The knights were a smaller division of the soldiers of Hyrule. Only the bravest and most heroic could be knighted. She may not have been too keen on marriage, but she was leaning towards picking one of those young men.

"Here we are, Your Highness," Jon said, pushing open the door of a brown building and drawing Zelda from her thoughts.

They entered a round chamber that opened to the sky and was ringed with seats carved from stone. It was the execution chamber, seeming tight and claustrophobic despite the sun overhead. Already seats were being filled by the public. The section she was in was reserved for those from the castle, and the royal family itself got a dais that rose out of the center of the seats. Guards were all around them, keeping them well protected. It smelled of dirt, sweat, and dust, and the buzz of conversation was already getting on Zelda's nerves.

She sat beside her father, Jon standing behind them. She looked past the railing to the round dirt floor in the center of it all. A platform stood, a rope fashioned into a noose and a trapdoor adorning it. Some soldiers stood guard at the platform's corners, but no one was there yet.

"How many today, father?" Zelda asked. The public executions were usually done once a month.

"Ten," he replied, his face calm and full of righteous judgment.

"That's not too bad," she replied. "It was fifteen last month. But I guess that group of murderers raised the numbers."

"I'd rather not have any," he told her, his tired voice accented by the gray in his hair. "It's an unfortunate duty for us to face."

She let out her breath, crossing her arms neatly on her knees. "I agree."

Her body-paint caught his eye and he gave her a disapproving look. "That is not decent for a princess."

"I like it," she protested, crossing her arms lightly and thus hiding her hand. As she did so, she felt a tingle in the back of it, accompanied by a strange feeling washing over her. Like being hit with a nice breeze after staying in the castle for too long. But there was an insistency to it. It made her think her Triforce wanted to guide her again. But a moment later it fell silent. She frowned, pulling her hand back and looking at it. The tingle was gone, and nothing had changed.

_Weird, _she thought. Then, jokingly, _maybe I'm about to see the foretold evil get executed, and the Hangman is the chosen Hero. _

Minutes passed as the rest of the crowds filed in until all the seats were packed. The king stood, proud and imperial, and a silence fell about. Zelda sat up as straight as she could, looking the part of the perfect princess.

"My good people," Daphnes spoke loudly. "Today we bear witness to ten executions of our worst criminals. May justice be served, and the goddesses judge them fairly." He nodded to the soldiers on the ground. "You may start bringing them out."

One of the soldiers walked over to a door set into the bottom of the stands. He knocked on it, and it opened to reveal the burly Hangman with a mask covering his face. Two knights escorted a shackled middle-aged man with shaggy red hair. He was brought up onto the platform, squirming slightly. The Hangman took hold of him and pulled the noose tight around his neck with expert practice.

Jon stepped forward on the dais, holding out a piece of parchment. "Gerold Strobel, Jr. You have been found guilty of the murder of a Mister and Misses Worth, along with two accounts of theft, and one account of rape – the victim shall remain anonymous. You are to be hung by the neck until dead. Do you have any last words?"

Gerold proceeded to utter some rather intense vulgarities. So the Hangman quickly cut him off. The trapdoor opened and he fell to an abrupt stop, dead in an instant.

Zelda cringed, shaking her head, when again she felt a stirring inside her and a pulse on the back of her hand. She pulled it out to look at it, puzzled. But nothing was wrong.

"Zelda," her father whispered angrily, "stop looking at the defacement of your hand."

She tucked it away again, glaring at him. "I wasn't. I was just-"

Another prisoner was brought out, and she watched with everyone else. This one had a long career of violent crimes, and she died just the same as the first man. As did the third, and the fourth, and the fifth. They all started blending together. Just brief names, faces, a quick list of accomplishments, before they were no more. And as the executions progressed it felt as if the Triforce was being more and more insistent with her. She would look around, searching for what she might need to see or do, but nothing stood out to her. Just a sea of people, packed shoulder to shoulder in the hazy light.

Then the door opened once again and a seventh person was taken out. This one a young man dressed dark colors. He didn't seem to be giving any fight. _Resigned to his fate, _Zelda thought. Although it was more than that. He seemed almost happy. He was looking at the soldiers on the ground with him and his messy blonde hair hung in his eyes, so Zelda couldn't see much of his face, but she thought she detected a wide smile.

He was brought up onto the platform, his steps thudding on the wood. He stood in the appointed place and the Hangman tightened a noose about his neck. Zelda's Triforce was pulsing more than she'd ever felt it before.

Jon held up another piece of parchment, reading, "Link, no last name given because you are an orphan. You have been found guilty of numerous accounts of theft, smuggling, vandalism, trespassing on private property, and deceit. You are to be hung by the neck until dead. Do you have any final words?"

The prisoner – Link – looked up, a dark grin on his face. His eyes went from Jon, to the king, to Zelda. She felt her throat close up, her gaze going wide. He was . . . so handsome. More handsome than any criminal had a right to be. And his eyes were a dark, vibrant blue, staring straight at her. She wished her Triforce would stop bugging her, but it was going crazy now, singing through her body and making the back of her hand turn hot. She broke off her gaze to look, and was astonished to see the faint outline of a triangle glowing. She looked back up at the criminal. His smile had dropped. He was frowning at her, and she watched him glance back at his own hands that were bound behind his back.

_No way . . ._ she thought. _Is . . . he . . .? No, he couldn't be. The goddesses wouldn't choose someone like him._

"Any final words?" Jon prompted.

Link looked back to the solider, his smirk springing back into place. "I'm just ready to have my life over."

Her Triforce was practically screaming at her now, the message not verbal but clear all the same. STOP THIS, STOP THIS, HE'S THE ONE!

So she obeyed.

"Wait!" Zelda shouted, jumping to her feet. All eyes swiveled to her, a few gasps heard. Her father looked surprised. The Hangman's hand hovered over the lever. But she just focused on the criminal. He was staring back at her. The smile gone again, and his expression a mixture of emotions. Those blue eyes were so big it was killing her.

"Wait," she said again, making sure nothing happened, and giving her a moment to feel out the Triforce. This felt right. She was doing the right thing, even though the back of her mind was yelling that there was no way this young man could be chosen by the goddesses.

"Zelda, what's wrong?" the king asked.

"Princess?" Jon questioned.

She cleared her throat, raised her chin, and squared her shoulders. She pointed directly at Link. "That man is not to be executed."

This time the collective gasp was more audible, especially from her father.

"Zelda," he whispered intensely, "you can't just-"

"Please, father," she said softly, though she knew some could overhear them. "I know what I'm doing." She spoke louder, glancing between Jon and the Hangman, "New information has come to light about him. I order him to be transported to the castle dungeons until further notice."

The king was subtly glaring at her. She tried to give him a meaningful look to trust her on this. He must have taken the hint, because he gave his nod of approval. Zelda still couldn't decipher all the emotions going over the criminal's face, but he stared at her the whole time the noose was removed and he was taken from the chamber.

And her piece of the Triforce at last rested.

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**Please take a moment to leave a review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**I know I said I'd update biweekly, but here's one a day early! 8D Thanks for all the support! I can't believe I have so many reviews in the first chapter. For my unsigned reviewers I couldn't send a PM to, it's good to see you guys again!**

**So thank you bunches to Kamil the Awesome, emeraldsol, James Birdsong, Cimar of Turalis, ShadowNinja1011, Neko-chan, AngelicParadox91, WolfenAmphithere, Reyser, Heidihammond14, Rawr I'm A Toaster, é , MissShortPants, A Shadow's Lament, Dydelik, MajesticStallion, thespiritmaiden, zeldax, SkYeLiMiT, Guest, Mangageek26, Farli30519, Zeldafreak2000, and Linkguy99 for your awesome reviews!**

**Dislcaimer: I don't own Zelda**

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**Part I**

**Chapter Two**

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"I am appalled at your behavior!" King Daphnes thundered, his gray eyebrows pulled low. "Why didn't you consult with me first?"

"I didn't _know _first!" Zelda protested, throwing her arms out. "My Triforce started speaking to me _during_ the executions."

"And what did it say?" he asked gruffly, unwilling to let that explanation slide.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Like I've told you before, it doesn't actually speak. Not verbally. But I can _feel _its messages." When her father heaved a frustrated breath and turned away, she shouted, "I'm telling the truth!"

They were in Zelda's bedroom, some hours after the executions had finished. Her father had left without saying a word to her, and Jon had given her a suspicious look, but didn't question further. As she had headed to her room, she could feel the curious stares of those who had been in attendance. Wondering why the criminal had been saved – even if it was temporarily. Wondering what could have happened that made her shout so dramatically at the last minute.

Her room was mainly white with some pastel colors for accents. Luxurious furniture and detailed woodworks sat about. Flowers adorned every corner, and her multi-colored curtains stirred in the warm breeze from her open balcony doors. Her room had a serene, feminine, sunlit garden feel to it.

Daphnes was glaring hard at one of the paintings hanging on her wall – a sky scene that she'd actually done herself – refusing to look at his daughter.

"I'm telling the truth," she repeated firmly. "Why won't you believe me?"

He turned, his arms crossed. "You want to know why? Because I know boys like that criminal. I know they're handsome and charming, I know you dream of their smiles, but they – _he _– is dangerous. And you can do better than him."

She gaped, blinking in surprise. "You . . . You think I _like _him? Dad! That's not it at all! I'd never stoop so low. I know he's a bad person." _But why would the goddesses choose a bad person as the Hero? _a small part of her mind whispered. "But the Triforce was telling me to spare his life. I don't know why, but it was. Just give me time, and I can figure it out."

He was still visibly angry, but his tone was less confrontational as he said, "I don't want you going near him."

Zelda sighed. "Dad, I have to at least talk to him."

"No! I won't have it."

"Just once. Please? It will help me learn what the goddesses want."

His broad shoulders sagged. "Just. Once. No more." He raised a finger, shaking it at her. "And I swear to you this, Zelda. He's safe so long as he stays inside that cell. But if he takes _one step _outside . . . he's dead."

The princess nodded, relieved that she'd gained a little bit of ground. "Yes, thank you."

Daphnes grunted in distaste and left, closing the door after him.

Zelda sat heavily back on a wicker chair, pulling her hair loose. _Well, there's that. I don't know if this boy is the Hero or not – it's very unlikely – but he is important. I just have to find out why. _

She was yearning to go speak with him, but she was emotionally exhausted already. Deciding it was best to wait until tomorrow, the princess read for a few hours to calm herself. She took a brisk walk about the castle and ended up eating supper with some of the highborn men and women staying in the castle. Afterward, she organized her wardrobe before falling into a fitful sleep.

The next morning came, and her early bath had washed off the blue paint on her hand, but she never kept a design for very long. She painted some vine-like patterns over her foot in green to help ease her anxiety as she got ready for the day. She chose a floral patterned dress that was mostly greens which had cut-off sleeves and came to her knees. Keeping her hair loose, Zelda took a calming breath before she headed down towards the dungeons.

She'd only been twice in her lifetime. It was cold and dark and smelled of dried blood and urine. It wasn't a place she liked to be. The steps took her down and down as she was led by a guard, her sandals making loud claps as they hit the stones. The torchlight danced in front of her, barely cutting through the darkness.

They reached a wooden door that opened with a creak. She passed another group of guards as she and her escort walked down a line of rusty, small cells. A few prisoners were in them, some calling out to them. For food, for freedom, for sex. Zelda stared straight ahead, feeling sick in her stomach.

"Here he is, Your Highness," the guard said, gesturing with the torch to a particular cell, the ones on either side empty.

Zelda stepped closer, looking in. The torchlight caught a pair of blue eyes as they stared up at her. The young man gave a lazy smile, sitting back against the far wall. Grime and dirt coated the area, and she thought he'd looked cleaner at the executions than he did now.

"Hello, Princess," he said. "Come to see your handiwork?"

She glanced back at the guard. "Give us some privacy, please." After sticking the torch into a wall sconce, the guard complied. She turned back to the prisoner. "What was your name again?"

He gave a low, sardonic laugh. "You don't remember the name of the person whose life you saved?"

She pressed her lips together, frustrated. "I've slept since then. Remind me."

"Link," he replied, after a pause.

"Link," she repeated, "your . . . your list of crimes was extensive."

He shrugged noncommittally.

"You have nothing to say to that?"

"What do you want me to say?"

She looked away, irritated. "I . . . I know you felt it. Don't try to deny it." She looked back at him. "You felt the Triforce."

His expression stayed calm as he answered, "What on Hyrule are you talking about?"

Zelda paused, her thoughts derailed. She stammered for a moment before replying, "The . . . The Triforce! I saw the way you looked at me when my piece was active. And you looked back at your hand. It was obvious you felt something."

Link tilted his head to the side, seeming weary. His blonde hair, dirty from the dungeons, framed his face. "The way you kept staring at me was making me nervous. My shackles were hurting, so I looked back at them. It had nothing to do with the Triforce."

Zelda couldn't believe this was happening. She hadn't been wrong. She _hadn't. _Why was he refusing to acknowledge it? She stepped closer to the bars, scrutinizing him. He had to be about her age. What a waste of a life, to throw it away to crime so young.

He met her gaze before looking at her foot. "The princess likes body-paint, I see."

"I do," she answered, her voice like steel. "But I'm not here for conversation. Tell me the truth. We're alone, you have nothing to fear." The way he tilted his head back with a bitter laugh made her angry, but she pressed on, "Are you the chosen Hero?"

A small smile stayed in place as Link observed her. Then he responded, "The princess still believes in fairy tales, does she?"

She scoffed. "It's not a fairy tale. It's a prophecy."

"That legend is older than modern civilization." He gestured theatrically with his hands. "A brave Hero, all honor and valor, aided by a wise and powerful woman will destroy a terrible evil that arises!" He shook his head, dropping his hands. "It's the stuff of children's daydreams. It's not reality."

Zelda frowned. "The prophecy was reaffirmed the day of my birth. I have a piece of the Triforce. And I'm seeking the Hero I'm to help. I saved your life because I thought you might be him." Her frown twisted into a glare. "Obviously I was wrong. You make no apology for your crimes, and you sit there and mock a message from the goddesses. I'm sorry I saved your life, since you were so eager to die!"

"I was!" Link snapped, his smile and humor gone. "It was what I _wanted_!"

"I'll have to see if I can grant that wish!" She turned on her heel and walked back the way she had come, practically jogging. Her face was hot with frustration. She just wanted to be alone right now and think about things. She didn't even return the guards' nods as she threw open the door and hurried up the steps.

Zelda went down the busy hallways, up more flights of stairs, and got to her room as quick as she could. She strode across it and threw the balcony doors open. She was hit with wind and sunshine, and instantly the tension in her eased. More relaxed, she walked across the round stone balcony and leaned on the intricate railing, looking out at the world. A small courtyard was below her, gardeners at work tending to the flowers. There was another castle wall, though this one lower and smaller so she had an unobstructed view of Hyrule Castle City. It was quite a beautiful sight, even though Zelda never spent much time in it. Full of tall stone buildings, painted signs, and markets alive with merriment. The wind blew her hair back from her face and rustled her dress as she went deep into thought.

Maybe Link wasn't the Hero. But who was he, then, that her Triforce had been so insistent on saving him? And should she make sure he never was executed, or should his death only be delayed?

"Hmph," she huffed, "it's not like he cared."

What kind of a person didn't care if they lived or died? She supposed someone who had nothing in their life. No cares, no loves, no desires or goals or dreams. The very idea was almost enough for her to send him straight back to the Hangman and forget this whole mess. And yet . . .

And yet the way he'd said that he wanted to die . . . the look in his eyes and the tone in his voice . . . it had caught her attention. There was a desperation in it, a deep hurt. And the way he'd looked at her when her Triforce was active, that smirk gone and so many emotions running over his face . . .

"No," she decided, "something is going on. And I'm going to find out what."

And she knew that needed to start by founding out who Link was.

Zelda left her room and made her way into the old parts of the castle. She was going to see their national record-keeper, Sahashrala. After a long trip through seldom-used halls, she found him in the old library buried among ancient books.

"Sahashrala?" she asked, stepping into a dusty room lit by sunlight.

"Oh?" he looked up, jumping slightly and creating a smudge with his quill on a parchment. Fussing under his breath, he put his quill up and regarded her. "Oh! Princess Zelda!" He stood, his long white beard lying over his orange and yellow robes. He hefted a tall wooden cane in one hand. "How can I be of service?"

"I'm looking for information about someone. I think he's an orphan, if I remember right," she answered, coming over to the table he was at. "I was hoping you could help me."

"Oh? What kind of information? Recent, or perhaps older?"

"I know recently he's been involved in crime," she replied. "I was more interested in where he was born, and who his parents were. What happened to them."

"Alrighty," he stroked his thick mustache. "Orphan, you say? Yes, yes. Do you have a surname?"

She gave a helpless shrug. "I don't. But his first name is Link."

Sahashrala nodded. "Link isn't a very common name, so that should help. How old is he?"

"He must be around my age."

The old man muttered to himself, looking hard at the floor, before smiling back up at her. "Well, I will check through my records and see if I can find anything for you. Why don't you come back tomorrow morning? We'll see what I've got then."

Zelda smiled in return. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

.

LoZ

.

The private dining room of the castle was a circular space, shining with cherry wood and ornate tapestries on the walls. The table was also round, with cushioned chairs encircling it. Here much of the constant noise of the castle was muted, and the scent of wax came from the candles.

Zelda was having supper with the king and the captain of Hyrule's army, Karane. Karane was a blunt, feisty, middle-aged woman with blue eyes and red hair she kept tied back. She'd served her entire life in the military, much like Jon, and had been Captain for a long time.

"I swear if I have to break up one more rookie riot, I'm going to send them all to patrol in Trash City," Karane was grumbling, cutting into her steak roughly. "And I won't care if they never come back."

"Peace time makes soldiers careless," Daphnes commented. "You should fill their heads with threats and they'll straighten up."

"I only wish that worked so well with our criminals," Karane replied. "Careless, reckless, self-centered people that they are. We need to tighten our response or we're going to get overrun, I promise you that."

"I think we do well enough," the king responded. "Hyrule's population has been booming, and with that comes a rise in crime. If it doesn't level out in a few years, _then _we have a real problem."

"Or if we took more decisive action in making examples of others," the Captain stated, looking pointedly at Zelda.

The princess blinked at her, fork halfway to her mouth. " . . . What?" Then, realizing, she sat the fork down and narrowed her eyes. "One man saved from execution is hardly going to destroy your whole system of authority, Captain."

Karane looked back to her plate, messing with the vegetables, her voice icy cold politeness as she said, "I just wish you would tell me why he was pardoned so I can confer it to my soldiers. Plus it would help me sleep better at night."

"I already told you it was a Triforce matter," Daphnes said patiently. "Zelda is more attune to things than we are."

Karane's pursed lips conveyed exactly what she thought of _that_.

Zelda's mouth twisted to the side as she glared at the captain. "Why does it matter so much to you if Link is executed or not?"

The other woman snapped a look at her. "Because it's _my _job to keep track of, profile, and hunt down criminals. It's _my _job to keep Hyrule safe. Link has been a nuisance for almost ten years now. He's brave enough to do his work in broad daylight as well as at night. He commits crimes all over Hyrule with no discretion and that makes it very difficult to find him again. I can't even count how many times me or my soldiers have chased him for hours only to end up losing him again. What's worse is that he's brash and cocky. After one of those chases, my soldiers and I returned to our camp only to hear report that he'd come back by and stolen a bag of rupees and a horse. Plus several pairs of underwear." She put her fist down hard on the table, leaning closer to the princess. "So forgive me if I don't take kindly to you pardoning a man that has caused us so much trouble." She sat back roughly, eating again.

Zelda wasn't sure what response was appropriate after that, but she knew laughing _was not. _So she bit down on her tongue and looked back at her plate.

After a prolonged moment of silence only broken by the noise of silverware and glasses being picked up and sat down, Daphnes said, "Link is not pardoned, Captain. He will not be leaving the dungeon until the situation is cleared up. And once it is, Zelda will not be the sole determiner of his fate. You and I shall consult together."

"Good," Karane responded simply.

The king turned to Zelda. "Have you spoken to him yet?"

"I . . . did, yes," she answered.

When she didn't elaborate, he raised his eyebrows. "And?"

Zelda shook her head. "He gave me a lot to think about. It was more of what he didn't say that struck my interest. I'm going to need some time to consider it."

Karane huffed, but that seemed to satisfy the king. Though Zelda knew he didn't like the whole situation.

They lapsed into silence for awhile, the princess thinking over Karane's words, before a curiosity got hold of her. She glanced up at the captain. "So . . . how did you finally end up capturing Link?"

A half-smile tugged at one corner of the woman's mouth. "I think his life caught up to him. We found him during a standard patrol sitting in an alley. He was panting and sweaty and scuffed up. It looked like someone had been chasing him for a very long time. He tried to get away from us, but his ankle was sprained so he didn't get far."

Zelda nodded slowly, digesting this. "Could you remind me of his crimes again?"

"Let's see," Karane sighed, sitting back as her expression turned thoughtful. "He has a long history of stealing. Smuggling is his other big crime. We have a little bit of vandalism, mostly breaking into places. That also covers his trespassing problems. And some deceit, which is mainly him lying about who is, feeding false information around, and things like that."

The young woman considered this before a realization came to her. She blinked, turning to Karane. "These . . . these are all non-violent crimes."

The redhead smirked. "Ah, yet another person who sees crimes in which no one gets hurt as lesser offenses. Well let me educated you, honey. Property, or even rupees, go missing. The owners have to find a way to replace them. And if the property that was stolen belongs to the castle or military, then it's coming out of the taxpayers' money. If a shop gets enough items stolen, it has to raise the price to make up for the loss, which puts strain on the average citizen. You'll get some of these stolen items smuggled through the black market. You'll even get weapons put into murderers' hands, illegal drugs passed around, and people smuggled across borders. And I'm sure you know what sort of problems _that _causes."

"I . . . see," Zelda replied, not having looked at it that way before.

"Oh, I wasn't even done yet," Karane said mildly. "But I won't go into the cost of vandalism on taxes, the way trespassing makes your people feel insecure, and how annoying false information can prove for the army." She gave a sugar-sweet smile. "Non-violent crimes? Don't kid yourself. There's always a victim."

Even by the time Zelda went to bed, her room cast in shades of silver and blue, she couldn't shake Karane's words from her head. Her Triforce had led her to believe Link wasn't as bad as he seemed. But he was still a criminal. He was still a bad person. And she shouldn't think of him as anything more.

.

LoZ

.

Link stared vacantly at the criss-crossing bars. The rust that coated the corners, the way their shadows flickered faintly from a torch in the far distance, and the heavy metal lock that secured the door. He was glad he had a few layers of clothes on, because the cold in the dungeon was thick. The floor looked as if it hadn't been washed in years, and Link brought a dirty hand up to rub at his face. He needed to shave; he could feel a blonde stubble growing.

Ever since Captain Karane and her soldiers had succeeded in capturing him, he'd felt overwhelmed at the events around him. And so he did what he'd always done when he felt this way; he just sat back and let things happen, reacting when he needed to. If only he hadn't hurt his ankle sliding down from a rooftop, he wouldn't have even _been _captured. But that was a long time ago now. He'd spent two weeks in the city jail before being brought to trial. He knew there was no reason to defend himself. Every one of those judging him knew who he was and what he'd done. When they'd decided he'd pay for his crimes with his life, Link hadn't been sure what he'd felt. There was fear, anxiety, regret, sadness, but also a very strong relief. Relief that his suffering was about to be over. He wouldn't have to run anymore.

The next few months in the prison had been difficult. He didn't like to be confined to one space. While some of the other prisoners had been pleasant to talk to, others just annoyed him and there was no way to get rid of them. It had been hard to watch some he'd thought of as his "prison friends" be taken off to get executed. He wasn't sure if the waiting had been the easiest or the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.

The day of his execution, he'd vomited in his cell. The world was a whirlwind around him as the guards had shackled him and led him through a long, dark, cold hall to the execution chamber. He knew he'd never forget that walk. He'd felt each step and been aware of each inch they'd drawn closer.

The chamber had seemed to engulf him. He felt so small before all those people. Before the Hangman. Before the noose. He'd felt sick and crazy and alive and he hadn't known why his heart was pounding so hard. When that rope was tightened around his neck, he had accepted death. It was coming, and that's all there was. Everything else just ceased to be.

So when Princess Zelda had pulled him from the brink of that abyss, he hadn't been sure what to think. He was a mess of emotions. He felt everything all at once. He'd been taken straight to the castle dungeons and just left there. For awhile he couldn't stop shaking. Then he couldn't stop laughing. It took a guard coming over and threatening him with a whip to make him stop.

But after a few hours he'd finally calmed down. And he replayed these events over and over to make sense of them. To get a grasp on that fact that that had _really _happened.

Then Zelda came down asking him all these questions. Who did she think she was? He'd touched the edge of death and come back, there wasn't anything that could scare him now.

Link paused in his thoughts, his eyes glancing about. That was a lie. There was still one thing that could scare him.

_I'm probably safer in here than I was out there, _he told himself. _This dungeon is well protected. _

He wondered if Zelda would come back. She was quite pretty, but had that obliviousness and righteous judgment that all upper-class held. He wondered if she would ever realize how dark and nasty the world could get, and how she would react when her perfect view of life was shattered. He couldn't help but envy her, though. Because for him, the world had never been perfect. It had always been dark and nasty. And he had never been safe.

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**Please leave a review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**An update on Wednesday this time, since I'll be out of town the next two days. I should have no problem getting an internet connection, but just in case I wanted to make sure this got up. **

**Thanks to Rawr I'm a Toaster, Farlie30519, Neko-Chan, Gojira Geek, A Shadow's Lament, ShadowNinja1011, Guest, GameCivilization, Kamil the Awesome, Heidihammond14, AngelicParadox91, MrSnowmanJoe, ZeldaFanForever, Mangageek26, Drewyyy101, Christian Cadet, BloodlustAssassin, OMGAReview, MajesticStallion, CaptainAzenor, Snowyflakes, Screen, iranda20, WolfenAmpthithere, Zeldafreak2000, T-Reg95, Shaveza, and R. Recollect for your reviews!**

**Thespiritmaiden: **I'm aiming for this to be around 100,000 words, and it won't be nearly as long as Bright as Night, haha.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda**

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**Part I**

**Chapter Three**

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Zelda could barely stop herself from jogging as she hurried down the dusty, less used corridors of Hyrule Castle to the records room and Sahashrala. She hoped he would have some information for her. A great amount of information would be preferred, but even a little bit would help. She needed to know who Link was. She was getting such different messages from him, from Captain Karane and the soldiers, and from her Triforce that she didn't know what was true. But she knew she couldn't hold off her decision forever. Sooner or later, she'd have to consult with her father on Link's fate.

She knocked on the door before entering the sunlit room. "Sahashrala?"

"Hello, what?" the old man peered from behind a shelf of books. "Oh! Princess! Yes, yes, you asked me to research the criminal Link."

"Yes, I did. I'm . . . hoping you have some news," she said politely, walking a few steps inside.

He shuffled over to a low table stacked with papers, his yellow and orange robes swaying about him. "Well, it was easy enough to find his trial and execution papers, and even records on his criminal activities. The most recent census places him in Trash City, though of course that would only be a theory since no one respectable goes there. So for more information I searched through birth records, marriage records, even gravestone records in hopes he was named after his father. I looked for the older census that would have been taken when he was a child. And, well, I have some news."

Zelda leaned forward unconsciously. "Yes?"

Sahashrala looked up at her. "There are no records of Link. None of the sources I looked through had anything on him. It's like he never existed."

The princess felt disappointment settle in her stomach. "So, we don't know anything else about him, then?"

"I wouldn't say that," the old man smiled. "Because we have a group of people whose records are missing. And they all have one thing in common." He raised his bushy white eyebrows. "They were all in the Kakariko Village fire."

Zelda frowned, intrigued. She drifted over to a wooden chair on the opposite side of the table and sat down. She could smell the old parchment and dust from the papers. "The Kakariko Village fire. That happened when I was very little. They never figured out who did it or why, correct?"

"Correct," Sahashrala sat down, also. "The majority of those living in the village died. Some escaped to tell the story. For those who survived, we have a break in their records. Of course there were children there who perished that have gone unrecorded in history. All the records kept in Kakariko Village were destroyed. There are marriage papers we will never know about, birth certificates lost to the flames, even death certificates that are forgotten. It's a sad business, really. But given that correlation, I think it's safe to assume Link was born in Kakariko. It's likely his parents died there, though that's not certain. He must have survived and turned to a life of crime, which is why our only records of him are those."

The young woman blinked, taking this all in. "Thank you, sir. You've been very helpful."

He nodded his head. "It's my pleasure."

When Zelda left and began to walk aimlessly down the castle halls, her mind was a tumult of thoughts. It helped make some sense of Link, at least, although it didn't give her his life story or tell why he might be important to the goddesses _and _a crook. But every little bit helped. She wanted to go down and see Link again, ask him about Kakariko, but her father had forbidden her from speaking to him more than one time.

So it was with a pensive mind and a bit of depression that she met her friend, Lady Mila, for a morning stroll through the gardens. Mila looked as she always had, and it brought a small smile to Zelda's face as she met her by the shimmering fountain. Mila's blonde hair was done up in extravagant curls, her pink dress luxurious and billowy with puffy white lace. She held a matching umbrella above her head, casting her space in shade.

"Zelda, my friend!" Mila smiled, waving daintily.

The princess shook her head with amusement. She refused to carry an umbrella; she liked the sun on her skin. And she almost felt underdressed in her blue spring dress that came to her knees. "It's good to see you, Mila."

"I have the most wonderful news for you!" her friend began as they started down the white stone path. "Things have been going so well with my boyfriend that we've reached a new level in our relationship!"

"You didn't sleep with him, did you?" Zelda couldn't help but joke.

Mila fanned at her shoulder with one slender hand. "No, no, you scandalous thing! I painted him! I gave him a nice fiery design on his neck. I felt so happy, and he was just all smiles!"

The princess felt sorry for Mila's boyfriend. She had no artistic talent in the slightest. As her friend rattled on about the "intimate experience" and how "totally in love" she was, Zelda's mind wandered. She gazed at the gardens as they walked through them. All honey sunshine, vibrant green, and flowers that were as bright as gemstones. It smelled wonderful, and the fountains that were interspersed made a pleasant background music. The castle walls didn't seem to crowd them, and the soldiers in armor that reflected the sun didn't interrupt them. It was really the perfect place to escape the castle life. Or any life, for that matter.

"Hello, Princess Zelda?" Mila waved in front of her face. "Are you listening to me?"

"Hmm?" Zelda glanced at the other young woman. "Oh, sorry. There's just been a lot going on."

"Indeed," Mila's eyes narrowed. "I heard about what you did in the execution chamber."

"You wha-" Zelda broke off, realizing that naturally Mila would have heard about it. She did stand up in the middle of the public executions, after all. "I guess word gets around."

"It does."

"What do people say about it?"

Mila shrugged. "Oh, many things. Some think you were just being compassionate because he was so young, or so I've heard. Some think you actually did learn new evidence and it's a big cover-up scandal. Still less flattering gossip going about is that you went mad or that he's your secret lover." She wiggled her eyebrows.

Zelda laughed, letting her hand trail over some low-hanging leaves as they walked. "I swear, does every royal family have to have some gossip about their love life?"

"The greatest story of all is about love," Mila purred. "Everyone lives their fantasies through the rich and famous. Tell me what really is going on, though. I'm so curious!"

Zelda let out her breath heavily. "It's . . . nothing you'd be interested in."

"Tell me anyway."

"My Triforce piece was urging me to save him. So I did."

Mila's face scrunched up. "You're right, that wasn't interesting." They both laughed, and she continued, "So why do you think that is? Who is he?"

"I don't know," the princess replied. "I've been trying to find out. He wasn't cooperative when I spoke to him."

"Are you going to try again?"

Zelda shook her head. "I can't. My father hates this whole situation and only permitted me to speak to Link – the criminal – once."

Mila grew silent for a few seconds, twirling her umbrella between her fingers, before saying, "I don't want you to get into any sort of trouble, Zel, but maybe you should go speak to him again anyway."

"Mila!"

"I'm serious! He might be more responsive now. Bring him a cookie, peasants love cookies."

Zelda giggled, passing her hand over her eyes, "Oh goodness, Mila. Maybe you're right, though. Just one more time can't hurt. I'll try to keep it secret from my father."

"And even if he finds out," her friend said, "it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission."

.

LoZ

.

The second trip down to the dungeons wasn't any better than the first. Zelda still huddled in on herself against the chill, and cupped her hand protectively over the cookie she'd brought to save it from the dirt and dust. Her footsteps echoed all around her as she finally descended the steps and came to the dungeon.

"Your Highness," one of the guards greeted. "How may we serve you?"

"I wish to speak to the prisoner I spared from death again," Zelda said with authority, concealing the food in her palm. "I think I can learn more from him a second time."

"As you wish," the guard replied, and escorted her there before planting a torch on the wall and leaving her alone once again.

The darkness crowded her, the torchlight just barely holding it at bay. The flickering orange casted shadows all about. It was because of the poor light that Zelda had to look twice to be certain that was Link huddled in the corner, sleeping. He was curled up on his side, using his arm as a pillow. His face was dirty but he looked peaceful. She almost didn't want to wake him.

"Link?" she said in a hushed tone, stepping closer to the cell. "Link."

His eyes fluttered open, catching the light. When they focused on her he groaned, burying his face in his arm. "You're back. Why are you back?"

"I . . . brought you a cookie."

That caught his attention. He raised his head up, looking more disbelieving and sarcastic than she thought anyone could. But when he caught sight of the food in her hand he sat up abruptly, his face pulling down into a frown. "You really did. Why did you bring me a cookie?"

She shrugged helplessly, regretting listening to Mila's advice. Mila never gave good advice. "I just . . . I know the food you get is pretty gross. And I thought this might make you want to talk more."

"I told you everything," he responded tensely. He held out his palm. "Now hand that over. I'm hungry."

She almost wanted to demand he tell her the truth or he wouldn't get the cookie at all, but she thought that seemed pretty childish and would take this conversation in a direction she didn't want it to go. She wanted him to cooperate, not get angry. So she held the food out by the bars.

"Toss it," he said.

She scowled but tossed it all the same. Her aim was terrible, but his hand flashed out lightning-quick and caught it. He sniffed the cookie for a moment, looking at it suspiciously, before giving a shrug and beginning to eat. Those blue eyes flicked back up to her as he spoke, his words muffled with food, "What did you want to know?"

How to approach this? She didn't want to just jump into asking about Kakariko if it was a sensitive subject. She decided to go broader. "Where are your parents? Should I tell them you're alive? Let them see you or something?"

He shook his head. "They're dead. I have no other family in Hyrule."

"Oh. That must be lonely."

Link just stared at her, finishing off the last of his cookie.

She took a breath, trying again. "Where were you born?"

"In Hyrule."

This time she couldn't help but heave an exasperated sigh, leaning against the bars.

"What do you want?" he demanded, anger lacing his tone. "Why all these personal questions? I don't get it."

Zelda gripped the rusty bars with white knuckles. "I want to understand you, _Link. _I want to understand why I needed to spare you. I'm really putting some effort into this, but if you don't help me out here my father would like nothing better than to finish your execution. Captain Karane is practically ready to tie the noose herself."

Link laughed. "Ah, Captain Karane! I miss her shenanigans."

Zelda couldn't help but smile at that. "She was pretty satisfied when she talked about catching you."

He huffed. "Well, if I hadn't been running for my life and gotten injured she never would have. I can't believe I didn't notice her at the executions. Surely she would have come. Was she there?"

"She was out of town that day," Zelda answered.

"I'm surprised she hasn't come down to threaten me," he continued, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Technically only I have freedom to speak to you since I spared you temporarily," Zelda explained. "And it will only be temporarily if you don't work with me here." She took a breath and dove right in. "So tell me what happened at Kakariko Village."

Link grew very still, his eyes boring into hers. A silence stuffed itself between them, only broken by the crackling of the torch.

Getting tired of his stare, Zelda pushed forward, "Your birth certificate is missing, and you're not on any census. We have a group of citizens like that, and all of them had their records burned in the Kakariko Village fire. So I figured you were born there. Did that make you turn to crime? Is that how your parents died?"

"You're very rude, you know," he growled. "You think you can just take information from anybody. Well, not from me, sister. Yes, I was born there and yes, that's how my parents died. But you asking about why I'm a criminal, as if the guilt of what happened caused-"

"The guilt?" Zelda interrupted, frowning at the word choice. "What would you have to be guilty for?" She gasped. "Did _you _start the fires?"

"What?!" he looked at her as if she was crazy. "Are you kidding me? I was five when it happened!"

"Then why would you feel guilty?"

Link paused, his mouth open as if to give a heated retort, but then he closed it. He let out his breath slowly before saying more softly, "I misspoke. That was all."

"I want to know-"

"That was _all," _he said again, more forcefully. "Now leave me alone." He looked to the side, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Zelda stood there for several seconds, frustrated. But then she turned and headed back to her room.

.

LoZ

.

King Daphnes was wary when he heard that Captain Karane requested an audience with him. He was even more wary when she walked in with a darker scowl than usual and her arms crossed.

"Yes, Captain?" he asked from the seat of a golden throne, which was raised up on a platform over the marble throne room floor.

"I have a question about the prisoner Link," she stated, the evening sun that came from the long windows cast her shadow behind her.

"We covered quite a bit about him yesterday," Daphnes replied. "I don't see what else there is to discuss."

Karane paused, glaring down at the floor, before looking back up at him. "I know you are the king, Your Majesty. And I'm not undermining your rule. But you have given authority to the army over the law breakers in Hyrule."

"Only because you are more aware of all the details and have the man power to carry out your missions," Daphnes replied with an edge to his tone. "If I think something supersedes your wishes, then it is my decision."

"Your Majesty!" Karane exclaimed, throwing her arms out. "Link is dangerous! He can't be allowed to go free! I've hunted him for _years!" _

The king raised a placating hand. He didn't want this little fiasco to spiral out of control. "He will not be going free."

"Maybe that's what Princess Zelda wants," Karane stated. "If there was an issue with his execution it seems to me she should have already brought it up."

Daphnes was about to rebuke her, not liking his daughter to be questioned, but then he sighed and thought better of it. He didn't want a war waged in his castle over the fate of this young man. This time he needed to be a mediator to make sure both sides got what they wanted. "I hear your concerns, Captain. I will give my daughter two days to finalize her opinion. Once she does, the three of us will sit down and decide what to do next."

That seemed to satisfy her. She nodded her head. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

After she left, Daphnes departed the throne room and made his way to find Zelda. He asked a few guards that he passed if they'd seen her, and one thought she'd been heading to her room earlier. Her chambers were on the third floor of the castle, on a wall that overlooked the gardens and even the city beyond. It was a long way there from the throne room on the first level. And by the time he got there, the king knew he wouldn't be happy if Zelda was elsewhere.

But he found her sitting on a white cushioned stool, her easel in front of her. It had a piece of large parchment stuck on it that she was slowly painting on. He couldn't tell what she was painting yet. Just a mess of greens and blues. She was positioned between the open doors of her balcony, sunshine and a breeze coming in.

He smiled at her from her doorway. She was a very beautiful young woman. "Zelda?"

She glanced over. "Hi, Dad. I'm painting a landscape."

"It looks nice, sweetheart. Can we talk for a minute?"

She visibly stiffened, but she offered him a smile before twisting on her stool. "Um, yes?"

"We need to talk about Link."

She nodded, and he thought he saw her jaw tighten.

"I don't want to argue about this," the king stated, hoping to calm her down. "But Captain Karane is anxious to punish Link."

Zelda blinked, seeming surprised. "You're . . . you're here about what Karane wants?"

"She's very upset, Zelda," Daphnes replied.

Seeming more relaxed now, the princess said, "Oh, I see. She wants to punish Link, you said? Pffft." Zelda shook her head. "He's already in the dungeons, that _is _considered a punishment."

"_Zelda," _he sighed, "the Captain raises legitimate points. I told her I'd give you two more days to form your opinion on Link. After that, the three of us will meet and decide what to do with him."

Zelda pursed her lips, looking to the side. "I guess that sounds fine."

"Good," Daphnes smiled. "I'm glad that's settled. I'll see you for dinner tonight."

After he left her room Zelda couldn't find the desire to paint anymore. She paced around, her curtains ruffling in the wind, as she tried to decide what to do. Ask for Link to just stay in the dungeons permanently? Did the goddesses want him to stay there permanently? Or was she just misreading the whole thing?

_Too late for those kinds of thoughts, _Zelda told herself. _He's alive and now we're moving forward. _

She knew Karane wanted execution. She'd just have to try to avoid that. Should she try to have Link kept close to her? Zelda almost felt like dismissing him. He was such a pain to talk to. Getting him out of her life might be for the best.

She tried to concentrate on her father when they ate dinner together, a nice meal of chicken drizzled with honey and toast to the side. Afterward she read some of her book on Hyrule's laws to stay fresh, but her mind kept wandering. The sun dropped below the horizon and a full moon came out. She shut up her balcony and changed into a silk nightgown. Her mind still turning over what to do, she lied down on her large, circular bed and closed her eyes.

And then a realization came to her. Something Link had said that she'd missed before but caught her attention now.

_Well, if I hadn't been running for my life and gotten injured . . . _

_As if the guilt of what happened . . . _

Her eyes flew open, staring up at the pastel canopy of her bed. He'd been running for his life in Hyrule Castle City when Karane said she'd caught him on a standard patrol. Meaning it wasn't her or the soldiers he'd been running from. And "running for my life" was a rather severe statement, one she didn't think he'd use unless he meant it.

And then, when she'd brought up the Kakariko Village fire and asked if that was what caused him to commit crime, he'd mentioned having guilt about it. Survivor's guilt, maybe, but the way he dodged her questions afterward made her think it was something else.

Pieces were beginning to fall into place. And she needed to speak to him _now. _

Zelda jumped out of bed. She grabbed a thick, patterned robed and threw it on, tying the sash securely about her narrow waist. She slipped her feet into some sandals and hurried to her oval mirror. Quickly running a brush through her hair, she applied some color to her lips before leaving her room.

She knew this was uncouth, and it would probably be best if she just waited until tomorrow. But she wanted to avoid her father and really had the urge to confront Link about this. She felt a little crazy, but she liked it.

The castle halls were nearly deserted. She passed two guards on her way down, offering them an innocent smile. She saw a maid finishing up her work, but otherwise everything was silent. Reaching the dungeon steps, the princess quickly made her way down, hand trailing the stone wall.

At the dungeons, she was stopped by a surprised guard. "Princess! The hour is late, can we help you with something?"

She took on her air of authority again. "Some information has been acquired about Link. I need to interrogate him immediately." As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she'd said the wrong thing.

The guard straightened, glancing back at the other solider behind him. "Your Highness, we can interrogate him if that is your wish. It is unwise to do so alone."

She held up a hand. "Sorry, I . . . misspoke," she told them, using one of Link's excuses. "I just need to verify something with him. Everything really is fine. Please hand me a torch, I can find my own way."

The guards exchanged curious looks, but one handed her a light anyway. She nodded her thanks and quickly left them behind. The shadows parted before her and closed after her. It seemed most of the other prisoners here were asleep. Just a couple blinked at the light inquisitively as it passed. She saw Link's cell up ahead, and made out the form of the young man leaning against the back wall. He raised a hand to shield his eyes as she planted the torch in the sconce, turning to face him.

"Who are you running from?" Zelda asked, crossing her arms.

He blinked rapidly, his eyes adjusting to the new light. "Do you have any idea how late it is?"

She frowned. "It's not even midnight yet."

"No, it's not. But it is my sleepy time."

Zelda growled, reaching forward and grabbing the bars. "Why are you so difficult to talk to?!"

Link tilted his head to the side, looking at her sardonically. "Maybe because you have me locked up in a cell?"

"You listen to me," she said icily, "you are in a cell right now but you are alive. Karane is just itching to finish you off, and right now the only thing standing between you and the noose is _me. _So you might want to consider telling me the truth, or I'll just hand you over to the law."

His expression turned sulky as he stared up at her, his knees pulled close to him. He didn't say anything, but that was all the answer Zelda needed.

She drew closer to the bars, her voice softer now. "Who are you running from?"

Link was silent a few moments longer before he responded quietly, "How did you figure it out?"

"I put pieces of what you said together," the princess answered. "Someone is after you. And they have been for awhile, haven't they? The Kakariko Village fire . . . it was started to kill you?"

"I was the reason, yes," he replied, his voice almost a whisper. She saw hurt in his eyes, and he was looking at her guardedly. As if he didn't trust her.

"Let me help you," Zelda pressed. "I'll have you protected. Tell me who is after you."

Link shook his head, giving a soft laugh. "I can't tell you. You're safer not knowing."

"I'm always guarded in the castle," the princess protested. "No one can hurt me."

"Your soldiers have never fought an enemy like this before," he countered. "I won't tell you, and I'm not budging on that."

Zelda watched him, wondering what to say to that. At last she just asked simply, "What's your favorite color?"

He laughed in surprise. "What?"

"Your favorite color. What is it?"

"Green," Link answered with a curious smile.

"Mine is blue," she told him. "Blue like the sky."

He was quiet a moment before asking, "How old are you, Princess?"

"Nineteen. And you?"

"Nineteen, also."

She chuckled. "Both nineteen and yet down very different paths."

He gave her a smile, one that seemed very genuine, as they lapsed into a more comfortable silence.

"So what are you going to do?" he finally asked, looking up at her.

Zelda sighed. "I'm not sure yet. But if someone was trying to kill you when you were five years old, then they must have known you were important. Right?"

" . . . Right. Whatever you say."

"So you can't be executed," she stated. "But it's not as if you're guiltless and should be set free."

His smile dropped, his eyes darkening. "Well we'd hate for a mass murderer like me to go free, now wouldn't we?"

Zelda gave him a scowl. "You can't pretend you aren't a career criminal. You broke laws and those laws have consequences."

"So you're just going to keep me locked in this cell for the rest of my life?" he snapped. "You don't want to kill me because you think I'm special, but think staying in prison until I die is a better option?"

"You are the criminal here, not me! Don't try to make me feel sorry for you."

"Do you even have the capacity for sympathy?"

She took a step back from the bars, glaring. "It's obvious you don't, with how many victims you've made of people."

Link leaned further back against the wall, huddling in on himself and crossing his arms. "I'm glad you've got me figured out."

"I don't have you figured out," she spat. "And that's what frustrates me because in two days I'll need to have you figured out enough to stop Karane from hanging you."

"Just let her," he muttered bitterly, glancing away. "Then everyone is happy."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Is this how you respond to all your problems in life?"

Link stared fixedly to the side, not moving.

"Fine," she sighed. "Don't talk." And so she left.

.

LoZ

.

The tavern nestled just off the main street of Hyrule Castle City was a nice one. At least as far as taverns go. It was the only one Jon would agree to going to whenever Kev persisted on a night out. It was a busy and bustling, but the people there looked clean-cut and were generally polite, if not a bit rowdy. Round wooden tables dotted the floor, making getting anywhere a maze of twisting and weaving. Night had fallen outside, and the tavern was lit with the homey glow of many lanterns.

"I missed this place," Kev said. "It's been too long since we visited!"

Now a seasoned soldier, Kev had short auburn hair and a thick goatee. He was still too easy-going for Jon's tastes, but ever since that stormy night guarding the drawbridge the two of them had become close.

"I'm getting too old for this," Jon muttered.

"Nonsense! You're only as old as you feel," Kev stated with a grin. "I'm going to grab us some drinks. What do you want?"

"Just water is fine," the older man answered. "Or lemonade, rather."

Saluting, Kev got up and made his way over to the bar.

Jon observed the other people in the tavern for a few moments, the conversation a little too loud, before a middle-aged, dark haired man sat down across from him. He was plain, with simple clothes and a narrow face.

"Hello, sir," the man said. "I'm a reporter for the Hyrule Castle City News. We want to feature an article in our next issue about the executions."

Jon grunted, not wanting to be impolite but he wasn't a fan of strangers talking to him in taverns, especially reporters.

"I was wondering if you could tell me a little about it?" the man gave a prompting smile, his eyebrows high on his forehead.

Giving a long sigh, Jon replied, "Not much to say. We were executing ten this month. Captain Karane couldn't make it, so I gave the final words to each criminal."

"Okay. I heard Princess Zelda freed someone. Link, right? What can you tell me about that?"

Jon didn't want to be the source of any gossip. He replied gruffly, "He's not free, he's in the castle dungeons. Why don't you go talk to my friend Kev back there," he gestured to the younger man, "he's more talkative."

"I think I have all I need. Thank you sir," the man left the way he'd come, going through the crowds before leaving the tavern.

Jon shook his head, tapping his fingers against the table. He looked down at his hand and pulled up short, noticing a black spider on the table. That was a little odd. This tavern was usually much cleaner. He brushed the creature off with the back of his hand, shaking his head in disgust, before noticing a curvy blonde woman coming in through the door. Her big eyes scanned the area before settling on Kev. She gave a sultry smile and made her way over to him.

_Uh-oh, _Jon thought. _Trouble. He better not leave my table for hers or I'm not going for a 'night on the town' with him again._

Without being too conspicuous, Jon leaned back to listen to what they were saying. He just caught about half of the conversation. She was being flirty with him and he was playing right back.

"So you're a soldier?" she asked. "That . . . so brave!"

He heard Kev chuckle. " . . . like it. Things stay interesting."

"You were at the execution . . .?"

Jon frowned, leaning further back to hear better. Was she another reporter?

"It was about the same as it usually is," Kev said. "Though this time Princess Zelda pulled some kid from the noose. That was about it."

"I heard about that!" the woman responded. "Sounds exciting. Do you know why she sent him to the castle dungeons?"

"No idea. All I know is we're holding him there until the princess decides what to do with him."

Jon frowned. Link was a popular subject, it seemed. He couldn't pinpoint what it was, but something seemed very odd. After a few minutes the woman left, not sparing a glance back as she exited the tavern. Kev returned to the table with two drinks.

"Sorry about that," the younger man said. "This pretty girl came to talk to me. But she seemed to lose interest fast and left. Just my luck."

"Yeah . . ." Jon replied, puzzled.

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's just . . . I just had a reporter ask me about the executions and Link. And then you had someone ask you about the executions and Link right afterward."

Kev shrugged. "The executions are always popular topics. And what the princess did was surprising. It's gossip." He eyed the older man. "What, you think something suspicious is going on?" He laughed. "Oh, Jon! You shouldn't worry so much. It was just a coincidence."

"Yeah," Jon sighed, glancing down. "I guess it was."

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**Please review!**

**For those who don't know, some of the characters featured are real Zelda characters. Sahashrala is a wise man from A Link to the Past, Mila is a rich girl on Windfall Island in Wind Waker, and Karane is a student at the Knight Academy in Skyward Sword. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Last week was one of the best weeks of my life, and it was followed up by this week being one of the worst in my life. So being able to see all of you guys' support and love is really wonderful. **

**Thanks to From Dust to Ashes, Kamil the Awesome, Rawr I'm a Toaster, Katia0203, Farli30519, Opal223, erico637, Shaveza, R. Recollect, A Shadow's Lament, iranda20, Sarahhof, ShadowNinja1011, SwordspiritFi9, Guest, GameCivilization, Screen, Mira Moonshine, Gojira Geek, Zeldafreak2000, WolfenAmphithere, ColdHeartedMelody, CaptainAzenor, Mangageek26, MajesticStallion, tentsubasa, MissNovel, Linkguy99, and MyouTakara for taking the time to review! **

**Zelink005: **I'm so glad you've enjoyed my stories! Welcome on board! ;)

**P.S. **Thanks to those of you I contacted who left supportive reviews for mrs wagner. The bully still isn't gone, but I hope she feels better and reads the suggestions we left on how to deal with this. You all are very kind people!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda**

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**Part 1**

**Chapter Four**

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When Zelda got a summons from her father to meet him in his bedroom just before she turned in for the night, she knew it couldn't be good. She kept on the dress she'd worn for that day, white with loose sleeves, and went down the castle corridors. Zelda bit her lip, glancing out the windows at the moon. He'd never summoned her like this before. Did he know she'd seen Link two more times? Maybe he would be understanding. Maybe he wouldn't mind.

After she'd last spoken to Link Zelda had gone into a fitful sleep, wondering what to do. She'd slept in the next morning, causing her maids to fuss. She'd gone on a brisk walk to wake herself up, the day warm and bright. After lunch she'd read. When she couldn't pay attention to her fiction story, she decided to refresh herself in Hyrule's history books, but her mind had still wandered. What to do about the Triforce. What to do about Karane. What to do about Link.

She'd tried body painting after supper, but hadn't been satisfied with any of her designs and had washed all of them off. She'd just been about to go to bed when a servant had knocked on the door, telling her that the King wished to see her in his chambers.

Worry gnawed at her as she turned a corner, drawing ever closer to her father's room. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he just wanted to remind her to make a decision tomorrow. Maybe he wanted to remind her to stay away from Link, not realizing she'd already disobeyed. Maybe-

_Stop, Zelda! _she told herself, taking a calming breath. _Just stop. See what he has to say, and then react. _

She came to his door, the guards on either side giving her a nod. She knocked, calling out, "Dad, it's me!"

"Come in," he responded, his voice stern.

She felt her gut clench up. She swallowed a tight throat as she entered the large room. It was mostly dark, the king only having a few candles lit in his seating area. It consisted of two brown sofas with a low table in between. Daphnes was seated in one, still in his royal regalia. He gestured across from him. "Sit."

_Oh . . . no . . . _Zelda gave a shaky smile and sat down, smoothing her dress. "What do you need?"

His brow furrowed, his frown deepening. "You know exactly what this is about, Zelda."

She hesitated, not wanting to incriminate herself. " . . . Do I?"

"Tell me the truth, did you go down to see that criminal two more times?"

And there it was. Zelda felt herself deflate, her face burning. "I . . . Yes, I did."

"_Zelda!" _he stood, throwing his arms out and causing her to flinch. "I warned you! I _told _you! You were only allowed to see him _once!" _

"Once wasn't enough!" she protested. "He wasn't being cooperative. I thought I'd coerce him further. Try to build up trust."

"Trust?" he spat the word out, fury pounding from him. "He is a criminal. Scum. Your job wasn't to get his trust it was to get a handle on who he is. Why your Triforce _supposedly_ wanted you to spare him."

"Supposedly?" Zelda gasped, taken aback. "So you don't believe me now? You think I'm lying?"

"I don't know what to think! I can't believe you would go behind my back like that. If the guards hadn't reported to me, there's no telling how long you would have entertained this-this . . . affair!"

Zelda made a mental note to get revenge on those guards before standing up, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm not infatuated by Link. I'm not going down to the dungeons to flirt or forge a relationship with him. I've gone to find out the truth. And Dad-" He turned away, huffing, so she stepped closer and continued, "Dad, he's running from someone. Someone he fears more than the army. Someone that has been trying to kill him for so long he didn't even mind that he was going to be executed."

Daphnes partially turned to her, glaring. "And he told you all this, did he?"

"He let things slip. I put the pieces together and when I asked him he admitted it."

"And he's known for being truthful."

"You are being unfair," Zelda objected. "I did what I thought was best to find the truth in all this."

"But you didn't consult me first. Why was that?" When she didn't immediately respond, he continued, "Because you knew I'd say no. Why have you started to defy me? The body paint is one thing, but _this?" _

Zelda grabbed her hair, aggravated. "I'm sorry, okay! I'm just so confused and upset. I want this mess over with as much as you do."

"Oh, it's going to be over," Daphnes stated, fully turning to face her. "I'll make sure it is. We'll forget this mishap ever happened. Tomorrow we'll finish off that boy's execution. And you are not permitted to come."

"No!" Zelda exclaimed. "No, Dad, you can't! He can't die!"

"He deserves no less," the king growled. "And he's somehow worked his way into your mind and turned you against me. If there really was something special about him, either we would have already found out, or it's long dead now. He dies, and pays for his crimes, and then our lives will go on as usual."

"No-!"

"_That is my command!" _he roared, startling her so much she recoiled. "Now get out and _go to your room!"_

Zelda turned on her heel and fled, tears springing to her eyes.

.

LoZ

.

Link was sprawled on his back on the dungeon floor, staring vacantly up at the ceiling. It reminded him of the extended period he'd spent in the prison before the execution. He hated the boredom. He hated being confined to such a small space. He was meant to roam, of that he was certain. He'd done some pushups earlier and had jogged in place. It had helped get his blood going and eased his restlessness, but the urge to just run and run and run was still there. Most of all he missed being outdoors. The sun on his face and the wind in his hair. The world big and open around him. He hadn't been outside since Captain Karane had first captured him. Even the execution chamber had been mostly closed in.

_I hate this, _he thought. Not for the first time and he doubted it would be the last.

He puzzled over Zelda's questions, her thoughts, what she wanted of him. She was interesting, to say the least. Most would have left him by now. Obviously she didn't like to be wrong. Part of him wanted her to just leave him alone. Another part of him wanted her to keep asking.

_That will probably be the last time you see her, Link, _he told himself. _She has better things to do than try to save a prisoner who says he doesn't want to be saved. _

His mouth twisted to the side, thinking his words to her over, when his vision focused on something above him. A black fuzzy dot, closer to him than the ceiling. He blinked, squinted, and saw that it was a black spider coming down from a line of web.

Link bolted out from under it, slamming his back hard into the wall. His heart was in his throat as he stared at the arachnid that descended to the ground. Then, growling, he lifted up his black boot and stomped on it, leaving a red smear on the already dirty floor.

_It's okay, it's okay, _he thought, panting, glancing around his cell. _This is a basement dungeon, of course there will be spiders. Nothing scary here. _

It felt too dark suddenly, the torch some yards away seemed dimmer. He was tensed, every muscle pulled taut and his jaw clenched. Wide eyes darted back and forth, looking for danger. Just as he thought everything was fine, another black spider scurried into his cell from the shadows. He quickly lashed his foot out and killed it, his throat tight.

Another spider followed that one.

_Oh, no . . . _Link thought, dread gripping him in an icy fist.

.

Zelda walked as quickly as she could without running down the halls, her expression set. The layers of her dress ruffled back from her speed. She had thrown on a soft tan cloak. The castle was mostly closed up for the night. She was alone, and she knew she needed to act fast.

She wouldn't let her father execute Link. She wasn't sure what was the right thing to do in regards to the young criminal, but she knew _that_ was not it. She didn't know what she'd say or do. She had no plan. But if she didn't act tonight, she might never get another chance. The princess was thinking that freeing him might be the best option, even if she never saw him again and even if she got in trouble. She'd have to feel the situation out once she got to the dungeons.

Zelda turned a corner and pulled back, her heart skipping a beat. A soldier was lying on the floor, and blood was pooling around him.

"Oh . . ." Her hand flew to her mouth and she rushed over to the man. "Sir? Sir?"

He was dead, his throat slit. Bile rose in the back of her throat and she looked away. She glanced around the hall, but there was no one else here, and no sign of a struggle. She could see the steps leading down to the dungeons up ahead.

Zelda stood up and went over to them, peering down. Gathering her courage, she began to descend, picking up speed as she went. Either this was the work of Link or an associate of his, or whoever was after him had found him.

.

Jon was sitting in his simple room, small and square with a large wooden desk for him to keep track of paperwork. As a senior soldier, he was given more responsibilities. This often led to his desk being cluttered with work, but he was an organized man. He was just going through the stacks by lantern light when urgent knocking sounded at his door.

"Jon! Jon!" he heard Kev shout.

The old man quickly stood up, opening the door. "Yes? What's wrong?"

"I have no idea!" Kev was panting from an obvious run. "But it's not good. One of our guards at the drawbridge is dead, the other one was found dead next to the entrance doors along with one of those guards."

Jon frowned. "_One _of the entrance door guards? Where is the second?"

Kev shook his head. "I have no idea. We have soldiers looking. What's even stranger is that there's no sign of any struggle. All of the dead have had their throats slit, but that's their only injury. None of them even had their weapons drawn."

Jon turned and grabbed his sword. "Let's go find out what is going on."

.

Link heard the commotion at the entry to the dungeons as it echoed down the dank corridor. He stood up, hurrying over to the door on his cell. He starting shaking it, hoping it would be weak and break.

"Hey, what are you down here for?" he heard one soldier ask.

"Just patrolling," another answered.

Link bit his lip, sticking his fingers into the lock, hoping to force it to open. Another spider crawled around his feet. A second was coming down from the ceiling.

"Really?" the first soldier questioned. "Do I get to go on break then?" The next sound he made was a sickening gurgle before the noise of his body hitting the ground sounded.

Link shook the lock in panic, the bars rattling. A spider was on his arm and he swatted it off.

"What the bloody-" a guard began before his voice was cut off, too. There was the noise of a quick skirmish, the curses of some of the prisoners near the entry, and then the steady noise of footsteps coming closer.

Link stepped away from the bars, breathing hard. His mind raced with ideas on how to escape this. He backed all the way to the wall . . . and then sat down, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

He listened to the rhythmic noises of the steps until they stopped in front of his cell. There was an extended moment of silence. Inside his body was rushing with adrenaline, but he forced the outside to look as calm as possible. He heard the long _creeeeeaaak _of his cell door opening.

"You, criminal," he heard a male soldier's voice say.

Link tiredly opened his eyes, blinking a few times. "Good morning. Are they sending me back to the noose?"

The soldier grunted. "The princess said you're free to go."

"She did?" he jumped up, looking as eager as he could. "She said she'd come through for me, I just didn't believe it."

"Yeah, well, you better get out of here before the king's mind changes."

"Yeah, yeah. Just hold on, I have to-" And Link went on the attack. He plowed into the soldier, driving his elbow into the man's neck. Keeping his arm between them, he spun around and then kicked the soldier in the back, sending him stumbling into the cell. Then he grabbed the door and slammed it shut, turned on the balls of his feet, and ran.

Other prisoners shouted to him as he raced past. He saw the dead bodies of the guards up ahead, and he slowed just enough to yank a sword from one soldier's scabbard. He was about to bound up the curving dungeon steps when he collided into someone who was running down. They both fell with a shout.

Link sat up abruptly and saw Zelda doing the same, holding a hand to her head. They made eye contact and said in unison, "We have to leave!"

"Did you kill these people?" the princess asked, climbing to her feet.

"Glad you think so highly of me!" he exclaimed, hurrying past her and up the stairs. He glanced back and saw she was following. "What are you doing?"

"I came to help you escape!" she panted, holding up her dress. "My father didn't like me seeing you two more times and decreed you're to be executed tomorrow."

He thought about this for a moment, hurrying up the steps, before he smirked back at her. "That's the coolest thing you've ever said." Then he frowned. "And no, I haven't killed anyone. It was . . . someone else."

"The person who is after you?" Zelda prompted.

He looked back ahead, sighing. "Yeah. She's found me again."

They reached the top of the steps and Link almost tripped over the dead soldier at the top, stumbling. He glanced around, quickly taking in his surroundings, before looking back to Zelda. "Where can I get rupees in here?"

Her jaw dropped. "You want to steal rupees from _my_ castle?"

"Well, yeah. I can't run away broke."

She hesitated, then her shoulders dropped and she pointed. "I'll let you have some of mine from my room. Follow me."

She began to walk quickly, but he came up close behind her, complaining, "Faster, woman! We're in a time crunch, here."

"I can't in these shoes," she protested, picking up her pace.

"Take them off! Do you want us to get caught?"

She fumed, tired of him already, but she stepped out of her heels and started running. They went down the corridor and up a flight of stairs. Once Link grabbed her shoulder and halted her, listening, before he decided it was safe to proceed. She noticed he was always looking over his shoulder, and watching both sides. After a few more minutes they exited into the hall her room was in and she opened the door. Link ushered her inside hurriedly and shut the door behind him. "Alright, give me some money."

Zelda scowled at him, going over to her dresser and opening the bottom drawer. "I don't know why I'm doing this for you. You're nothing but a pain. And if my father found out I gave you- _Hey_!" She cried out as he wrapped an arm around her torso and tossed her onto the bed. He crouched by her open drawer and grabbed a few high-value rupees, putting them in his pocket.

"There," he stated, turning around and smirking at her, "I took away any guilt you might have. Now where's the closest exit?"

"There's a side exit I can take you to," she answered, sitting up. "You should be able to avoid the guards."

"It might be best if you just stay in your room. You know, so you don't get in trouble."

She waved her hand dismissively. "I intend to make sure you get safely out of this castle. You've caused me enough problems already, so I want this mess cleaned up completely."

Link sighed, gesturing to the door. "Lead on, Princess."

They started running through the halls again, Zelda leading him to a little-used exit from the castle. She thought she heard panicked voices a few times, and once Link yanked her around a corner to hide as two soldiers ran past. But eventually they came to a heavy wooden door bolted shut at the end of a long hallway.

"This is it," Zelda whispered, pulling up the metal bolt. "This will take you outside the castle. You'll need to sneak by the outer wall to get into Hyrule Castle City. You should be good from there."

"Thanks," he gave a quick nod.

"Is that . . . woman who is after you still in our dungeons?"

He shook his head. "If she still is, she won't be for long. I have to get out of here. What's the easiest way to get past the outer wall?"

"Well if you go about twenty yards along . . ." she sighed. "You know what, I'll just take you into the city." She pulled the hood of her cloak up.

"Very incognito," he laughed.

Giving him a glare, Zelda opened the door and the two were suddenly face-to-face with a group of Hyrule's soldiers. She recoiled, gasping, as the soldiers mirrored her, stunned.

Link's arm shot around her torso, yanking her close to him, while the other held a sword against her throat. "Nobody move or she dies!" When one of the soldiers reached for his weapon Link jerked her bodily, causing her to cry out. "Are you deaf Sir Shining Armor? I said _don't move!" _

The soldier retreated, looking grim. They all watched with narrowed eyes, bodies tensed to strike, as Link snaked his way out of the castle and gave them a wide berth, still holding the sword against Zelda's neck. She could feel his heart pounding into her back.

Link stayed aware of his surroundings. No other soldiers were in this section, and no archers were on the battlements yet. He needed to move fast or he wouldn't be able to escape. He spotted a horse a few yards away and began heading towards it. The moonlight shone off of the men's armor and the blade in his hand.

"Princess," he whispered to her, "we're going to jump onto that horse so help me out here. I don't want to accidentally cut your head off."

She nodded, feeling anxiety gnaw at her.

As the soldiers became aware of his plan, a few moved forward. Link twitched his sword arm warningly, and they halted. He could smell the horse as he backed up next to it. Then in one fluid movement he turned, put his foot in one of the stirrups, grabbed the saddle with his sword hand, and got both him and Zelda on top within a second. She stifled a cry, turning to hold on tightly to him since she was seated in front.

Link kicked the horse, shouting, and the animal took off. He glanced back once to see two of the soldiers running after him, the others going inside the castle to raise the alarm. He stuck the sword through his belt so he'd have both free hands and snapped the reins, having the horse pick up speed.

They charged past the outer gate and into the city. He expertly weaved through a maze of narrow cobbled streets, and any Hylians out at this time hurried and got out of the way. Lantern light shone from some windows, and wooden signs swung in the breeze. A dog barked as they thundered past an alley.

Zelda watched her city fly by with wide blue eyes. The buildings rose up tall around her, and the castle was going further and further away. She was in such a state of nervousness, having been worried about getting Link out, his pursuer being in the castle, and then the run in with the guards, that she hadn't fully processed what was happening. But as Link drove the horse out of the city and into Hyrule Field, Zelda realized it would be a long time before she saw Hyrule Castle again.

.

LoZ

.

King Daphnes sat back in his throne, his shoulders hunched and rubbing the bridge of his nose. It was the next morning, and hazy sunlight shone in from the windows. "Are you . . . certain, Captain?" He knew that was a silly question. He just couldn't believe what he'd heard.

Karane nodded, staring up at him with a hard expression. "A handful of guards murdered with their throats slit. Link is missing and so is your daughter."

Jon spoke up, standing next to her, "I sent some men to patrol close to the castle because of the dead bodies we were finding. Your Majesty, they witnessed Link holding Princess Zelda hostage and using her as a shield to escape on a horse. He took her with him."

"Is she in any danger?" the king asked the captain.

Her mouth twisted sideways as she thought. "Unlikely . . . he has no history of kidnapping and torturing or murdering. But I'd be more concerned about the places and the people he'd take her around, if it's his intention to keep her close."

"How did he break out?" Daphnes demanded.

Jon shrugged. "We found one of our guards in his cell with the door locked. He's dead, murdered with his own weapon. It almost looks as if he committed suicide. We're not sure what happened. Everyone who was killed . . . there was no struggle. None of them even had their weapons drawn."

"Captain, tell me _what is going on. _Explain all this," the king growled. He was frustrated and he was afraid. He wanted Zelda safe and home. It no longer mattered that she'd disobeyed and went to see Link again. All that mattered was getting her back.

"It's a puzzler, Your Majesty," Karane confessed. "No one seems to know who did this. None of us saw anybody suspicious in or around the castle. There were no break-ins, no fights. Nothing was stolen, nothing was destroyed, and except for the guards no one else was murdered. Whoever it was wasn't looking to take over the castle or trying to assassinate anyone. We only have two people that fled the castle: Link and the Princess. Either Link was the target of this attack and he ran, or whoever did this came to help free him."

Daphnes took a long breath to try to calm himself. He looked at Karane and Jon in turn. "I want my daughter brought home. Go find her. I don't care what measures you have to take, and I least of all care what happens to Link. Just _bring Zelda back."_

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LoZ

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The room in the inn wasn't as bad as Zelda had thought it would be. It sure was a shabby place from the outside. Located in the middle of nowhere in Hyrule Field, only accessible by a narrow dirt road that wound through a patch of trees. She'd had to walk that distance bare foot. Link had gotten rid of their horse after they'd ridden for a few hours. Link had promised they'd spend the night here, but other than that the two hadn't talked. She wasn't happy, and it seemed he wasn't either. Currently he was leaning in the corner of their small, one-bed room, his arms crossed and tapping his foot as he glared at her. She sat in an uncomfortable wooden chair, messing with her hands.

"This is a fine mess you've gotten me into," he complained, finally speaking.

She snapped a look at him. "Excuse me? I helped you escape. It's a fine mess _you _got _me _into! Why did you kidnap me?"

"Oh, please, it's not like you're in any danger. What was I supposed to do? You led me right into the arms of soldiers. I had to act fast. You were conveniently there. Never kidnapped anybody before, especially not royalty." A smile ghosted across his face. "I can add something new to my list of crimes."

"It's not like I knew the soldiers were there, nobody is ever outside that door," she grumbled. "Probably some trouble your pursuer stirred up. Why didn't you just backtrack into the castle? We could have found another way out."

"I can tell you haven't escaped from many places before," he observed. "If I'd gone back into that castle, they would have let everyone know I was running and blocked off all other exits. I would have been trapped."

Zelda scoffed. "So what, you except me to now go gallivanting off with you through Hyrule?"

"Certainly not, I can't stand you. I'm heading for Trash City. Once we reach there, I'll arrange for you to get safe passage back to the castle, Princess. Then you can spin whatever story you like about what happened. Can you cooperate with me until then?"

She thought about this, then nodded her agreement.

"Good." He pushed off the wall, going to sit on the bed. It creaked under his weight. "Now what to do . . . I'm sure your kingly father will send people after me. We'll have to move fast and be sneaky. But we can do it. Or, rather, _I _can do it."

Zelda shrugged. "You do have plenty of experience running. Will _she _be coming after you?"

His blue eyes took on a faraway look. "She's always after me."

"I wish you'd tell me what is going on. Why she wants to kill you."

He glanced over at her. "She doesn't want to kill me."

"But . . . you said –"

"No, I didn't. You drew your own conclusion there."

"Then what does she want?" When he didn't respond, staring at his boots, Zelda pressed, "Link, please tell me. I can help you. I'm royalty, I'm powerful. I have the Triforce of Wisdom."

He gave a soft smile, seeming genuinely touched. "That's . . . kind of you to want to help. But I've been searching for a way out my whole life and haven't found it yet."

The princess scooted to the edge of the chair, leaning closer to him, and pleaded, "Who is she? Tell me who is the woman that's hunted you all these years?"

He was silent for several seconds, and so still that she didn't think she'd get an answer. But at last he replied softly, "Her name is Veran . . . Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows."

Zelda blinked, surprised. "A sorceress?"

He looked pointedly at her. "A powerful one."

"I've never heard of her. And at the castle I didn't see anybody that looked like one."

"You wouldn't have. Veran can possess people's bodies. That's what the dead soldiers were about. She possessed one after the other to make her way down to the dungeons, and killed them all so no one could witness. Just like the Kakariko Village fires. She jumped into many different bodies that night, starting fires everywhere at once."

Zelda's mind was reeling, shocked by this knowledge. Shocked that someone so dangerous could be causing havoc in her country and no one knew about it. "And what does she want with you?"

Link seemed tired as he answered, "She wants to possess me, and use my abilities to conquer Hyrule."

"So you are someone special? My Triforce wasn't wrong."

"Veran seems to think so."

"Link . . ." Zelda stood up, crossing the space to sit next to him. She was tempted to touch his arm in a comforting gesture, but couldn't quite do it. "I'll think over this, and do what I can to help. Not just for you, but to rid Hyrule of this evil."

He smiled at her, but his eyes betrayed his disbelief.

Both exhausted, it wasn't long before they turned in for the night. Link didn't put up a fuss and just slept on the floor, using one of the bed's spare pillows. Zelda curled up on the hardest mattress she'd ever felt, covered up with the thin blanket, and closed her eyes. Her mind was active with all that happened, but due to the intense escape from the castle she fell asleep instantly.

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**For those who don't know – and I hope you do! – Veran is the major villain from the game Oracle of Ages. **

**Please review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A day late this time, this week has been busy! And 119 reviews after just four chapters?! You all are amazing, thanks so much for the support!**

**Thanks to A Shadow's Lament, , iranda20, Zelink005, ShadowNinja1011, MajesticStallion, Fireygummybears, GameCivilization, From Dust to Ashes, NanoStat, tentsuba, Hat Guy, Gojira Geek, Kamil the Awesom, epicgoldfish200, Alfred pierce, 1 esor2, Shaveza, thespiritmaiden, The Ander, , Neez, WolfenAmpithere, ZeldaFreak2000, ColdHeartedMelody, Mangageek26, Macartyjr2, monkmonkeys, Screen, and CosmicZelda for your reviews!**

**Guest: **Wow, thanks so much for that compliment! 8D

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. Never have, never will. **

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**Part I**

**Chapter Five**

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The inn's shop didn't offer much of a choice on clothing. But Link knew he'd have to make the best of what there was. A new pair of black pants, since his old ones had gotten so disgusting from the dungeons. He bought a new undershirt, a deep, dark green. If he wore his dark overshirt mostly unbuttoned, the green could show, and he loved the color green. A new pair of fingerless gloves to help him grip the sword he'd stolen. He hadn't used a weapon in so long he was sure to develop blisters soon without protection. There was a dented compass, but it seemed to work.

Picking for Zelda, who was still asleep upstairs, wasn't so easy. He just went with a pair of gray ladies' traveling pants and a faded blue tunic made of wool. He found some shoes that could work for her, if she tied them tight enough.

Link paid for his items, grabbed a plate of food which he did not pay for, and went on upstairs. He pushed open the door, seeing Zelda sitting up in the bed and rubbing her eyes. "Morning sunshine! I brought you some new clothes, and some breakfast."

"New clothes?" she frowned, eyeing them as he tossed them on the bed. "Why do I need new ones?"

"Because Captain Karane will be looking for us. You can't look like a princess."

She glanced at the pile he was holding. "Are those for you?"

"That they are. Now turn around so I can get dressed."

She complied, and quickly changed herself while his back was turned. The material was itchy and didn't fit as well as her dresses did. But then, her dresses were custom made. The shoes fit alright, too. At least she wouldn't go barefoot anymore.

Once done, she turned around to see him sitting at the cloudy mirror that was on a table so small it was laughable. He was delicately using the edge of the sword to shave.

She chuckled. "Shouldn't you use something smaller for that?"

"They're not selling any daggers or knives here. I'll have to see if I can get one at the next stop." He looked at her in the mirror. "You'll need to cut your hair, you know."

She flinched. "Cut . . . my hair?"

"Yep. Those long blonde locks are very noticeable."

Zelda fiddled with her hair. "I haven't cut it in years. Well, no major cuts, at least. How much do you want to take off?"

He shrugged. "Just above the shoulder should look fine."

"No! No way!"

He spun around to glare at her. "Stop being such a girl. It will grow back."

"Excuse me? How about we cut _your_ hair? Bald might look good."

Link scowled. "Nobody touches my hair. The ladies love it."

"Oh, like _that's _important!"

"It is. When you live at the bottom of society, sometimes your looks are all you've got."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "What are you, a male prostitute?"

Link scrunched up his nose. "No. Not at all. Though I know some prostitutes, so don't talk bad about them. Actually sometimes I sing in a club in Trash City. Looking good gets me bigger tips."

Zelda blinked. "I didn't know you sang."

"That's because I didn't tell you." He stood up, gesturing to the chair. "Sit down, Princess. I'll cut your hair. One slice and it will be over."

She slowly walked over to the chair, her legs feeling heavy. She sat down and squeezed her ugly itchy pants in her fists. As she saw him approach in her peripheral vision, she protested, "No, wait! I don't want to do this! When you live as royalty, sometimes your looks are all you've-"

Link rolled his eyes, grabbed her hair in one hand, and cut it off so it brushed the tops of her shoulders. Zelda stayed absolutely still, staring at her reflection, before she dropped her face into her hands and sobbed.

_Well, this is awkward, _Link thought. He paused, then sat the sword on the bed, turning back to her. "Princess . . . Look, I'm sorry. It just had to be done."

She slapped blindly at him. "Get away!"

Link backed up to the wall, leaning against it. "Alright, well, how much time do you need? Because we have to go-"

Zelda whirled around with lightning speed, scooped up the sword from the bed, and pointed it at his chest. He jerked, holding one hand up. "You monster! I should have let you rot in that dungeon!" Her eyes were red and tears were running down her cheeks.

"Sorry, sorry," he told her. "That was bad of me to just . . . do it like that."

She could tell he wasn't scared. He didn't care. So she took a step forward and pushed the tip of the sword against the hollow of his throat. That elicited a reaction. He pushed back against the wall, both his hands up, his eyes wide.

"Princess," Link said, his voice tight, "drop the sword."

"Why should I? You stole me from my castle, you make walk through the woods without shoes, you make me wear itchy clothes, and then you cut off my hair. Why don't I give you what you wanted back at the castle? You wanted death, didn't you?"

He wasn't sure what to say to make her calm down. The sword tip was biting into him, and it hurt. Wanting to seem as non-threatening as possible, he left his hands up and closed his eyes, staying still.

Zelda hesitated, staring at him. She wasn't sure if this was a sign that he'd given up, or if it was a sign of trust. Either way, she suddenly became very aware of what she was doing. That she was holding a blade to another person's throat. And she felt shocked at herself, and disappointed. She withdrew, tossing the sword onto the bed, and wrapped her arms around herself.

Link let out his breath in relief, opening his eyes. She wouldn't meet his gaze, so he said gently, "I'm sorry everything turned out like this. Let's just move on. Get to Trash City, and then you can go home."

"That's what I want," she muttered.

"I know."

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LoZ

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Karane surveyed her team from atop a horse, looking out over the twenty soldiers she'd selected to help her rescue Princess Zelda. Twenty was a good number. Any less and she feared they wouldn't be effective. Any more and they would be slowed down and cumbersome. She selected some of her best men and women. Sadly there were more men than women; Hyrule's military was still a career challenge for females. It made Karane all the more proud of herself for reaching the top. Of the twenty she'd picked Jon and Kev. And she was starting to regret it since they were late. And she didn't take kindly to lateness.

She and the eighteen were outside the outer gate surrounding the castle, Hyrule Castle City spread out around them. Many citizens were glancing curiously at them from further inside the streets.

"I'm about ready to leave them," Karane complained grumpily to herself.

But then she saw Jon and Kev riding their brown horses towards her. Kev was grinning guiltily, but Jon had the decency to look properly ashamed.

"Captain," Jon said as they came to a stop before her, "I'm so sorry for our tardiness. I asked Kev to accompany me on my errand, so if there is punishment to be dealt I ask that it only falls on me."

Karane glanced at the younger man before returning her glare to the older one. "And what is the cause of your tardiness?"

"Something suspicious happened the other night I wanted to look into," Jon explained. "But the situation just ended up getting more puzzling and so it took longer than I expected."

She sighed. In reality they were only five minutes late. But that was five minutes wasted. "I guess I'll forgive it this time. I want you to ride beside me and tell me what this situation is that you thought so important." As Kev took his place with the others, she shouted back to them, "Form ranks and move out! We're heading down the main street to Hyrule Field."

The group made their way down the stone street, Hylians backing out of the way and watching them pass. The sky, barely visible between the tall buildings, was spattered with clouds.

"So what did you think was suspicious?" Karane asked.

Jon took a breath, beginning, "The other night Kev and I went out to a tavern. A man came up and asked me some questions about Link's execution for the newspaper. He said he was writing an article. After he left, not even a minute later, a woman came in and questioned Kev about Link. She ended up leaving, too. I shared my concerns to Kev, but he convinced me it was nothing. But before we left the city today, I wanted read this article and see what it said. Only the article wasn't in the paper. So I dropped by the Hyrule Castle City New's office. I asked about the article, but they said there were no plans to write one on the executions this time. I asked about that man, and he didn't work there."

She blinked, surprised. "Really? That's odd. Do you he is connected to Link's escape? And the woman, too?"

The old man shrugged. "I'm not sure. The woman may have been an accomplice, or just a coincidence. No one reported seeing a suspicious man around the castle. But he could have been working behind the scenes. Or just very sneaky."

Karane nodded, thinking this over. "I hope our mission to rescue the Princess gives us some answers."

"I hope so, too." He paused, then continued, "Captain, if we find Link with the Princess, what is your plan for him?"

She sighed. "I part of me wishes to interrogate him. Find out what happened in the castle. But the Princess may be able to give us details. And I can't jeopardize her safety for anything. Link was already set to be executed. So if he gets in the way, then my order is to remove him no matter what the cost. The Princess comes first."

Jon nodded. "Understood, Captain."

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LoZ

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The back of the carriage smelled of hay and animal manure. Zelda was glad only the former was visible. The wooden transport rocked and creaked over every uneven patch of the dirt road that wound through Hyrule Field. She knew this was a little used road. All of the major roads through Hyrule had been paved with stone. Link liked to travel the back ways, she realized. He'd bought this carriage driver off with some rupees. He was a big fat man directing two horses to pull squares of hay towards a ranch. But Link had promised they'd be gone before he was even close to the ranch.

"Nice day, isn't it?" Link asked with a smile.

She glanced up at the sky. "I guess so."

"You guess so? What could you possibly be finding fault in?"

She scowled at him, not liking to be questioned all the time. "Nothing, it's just . . . I've never been to Hyrule Field."

He seemed genuinely surprised at that. "You've never been . . .? I swear. There's a whole world out here beyond Hyrule Castle City. And this part of it," he gestured with a wide sweep to the rolling green hills, the sparse trees, and the snowcapped mountains in the distance, "this is my favorite part. It's so open. So free. It makes me feel like I can do anything."

Zelda looked around, taking in his meaning. Maybe that's what was making her feel so uncomfortable. The sheer openness of it all. She didn't feel safe. Well, it could also be the fact that she was on the run with a known criminal wearing itchy clothes and riding in the back of a stranger's carriage.

"So tell me more about Veran," she said, lowering her voice slightly.

Link glanced in the direction of the driver, but he was blocked from them by stacks of hay. Seeming satisfied, he said, "Well I told you she's a sorceress."

"Yes."

"And she can possess people."

"Yes."

"And she's been hunting me for years."

"Yes."

He sighed, rubbing his neck. "Let's see. She can fly. I've seen her create fireballs before. And she seems to attract . . . well, spiders."

"Spiders?" Zelda repeated, disgusted.

"Yes. They're always all around her. Sometimes it gives me a heads up that she's close. Though she's been known to sneak up on me a few times. I'm not sure what the deal is with the spiders. She seems to like them, though."

"That's gross."

"It is."

She studied his profile as he turned his head to look back over the way they'd come, his hair blowing around his face. "I'm still considering you are the Hero, you know."

He glanced sidelong at her. "Why would you do that? The Hero wouldn't be a criminal."

"Unlikely. But this Veran seems to think you're important. And my Triforce reacted to you."

Link turned back to her, giving a small shrug. "Guess we'll find out one of these days."

She paused, a thought occurring to her. "How come, if Veran can just jump into people's bodies, she hasn't been able to jump into yours?"

He looked to the side, seeming to contemplate this. "I'm not sure. For some reason, it isn't as easy with me as it is with others."

"Do you think she could just jump into mine? Maybe we should have a codeword you could ask me for if you think I'm possessed."

He waved dismissively. "No need. You say you have the Triforce. Veran, being a dark sorceress, can't get close to holy objects. Your Triforce should protect you."

"Hmm," she nodded, feeling better. It made her wonder, though. If Link did have his own piece of the Triforce and just didn't know it, maybe that was protecting him from Veran. But then if Veran knew this, why would she bother trying to possess him at all? Zelda made a mental note to look into this further, later. "Well, just in case something does go wrong, or not the way we think, you ask me for the word, and if it's me I'll be able to say it. And vica versa. So I'll know if she has finally possessed you or not."

He seemed to agree with that line of reasoning, nodding once. "Okay, yeah. Sounds good. What word? Or words?"

Zelda paused, liking the idea of a few words. It would be less likely Veran would guess. But they also needed to be something significant for them. After considering a few moments she smiled mischievously and answered, "Secret dungeon visits. Those will be our words."

A smirk spread across his face and he chuckled. "Oh yes. Secret dungeon visits. I like it."

They passed the next few minutes in comfortable silence. Hyrule Field rolled by them, and clouds made their slow trek across the sky. Zelda decided she really liked being out in the open like this. It felt good. It felt like she could breathe.

They rode in the carriage for another few hours. Link seemed to know when to disembark and they walked for twenty minutes until they reached a shabby, but bright and happy, town. Zelda was glad for the daily walks she went on. Someone like her friend Mila would have been crying of sore feet by now.

They went into the market area, which consisted of many stalls all crowded together selling goods. People came and went, keeping the pathways crowded. The stalls were painted different colors and some had banners, but the paint was peeling and they were lopsided. Zelda found the scene somewhat charming.

Link glanced around. "I'm going to look around for any supplies. Maybe some knives or daggers."

"Buy or steal?" she questioned.

"It depends which one will work out best."

She sighed. "Well if you're going to be off doing that, give me some rupees. I'm going shopping." When he gave her a look she pressed, "That's my money, anyway. Hand some over."

He gave a wry smile as he gave her a portion of the rupees and she watched him weave through the throngs of people, looking at the vendors. She made her own way along them, trying not to seem too interested in anything. That didn't stop a few of the shop owners from calling out to her, asking if she wanted to buy their items. She'd smile and politely shake her head. The movement would make her notice her shorter hair length. She tucked one side behind a pointed ear self consciously.

Looking ahead, she saw one stall that instantly caught her interest. She made her way over to it, grinning down at the selection of paints and brushes.

"Some art supplies for the young lady? Perhaps she'd like to body-paint?" the woman vendor asked.

"I would. The biggest set you have."

The woman pushed forward a brush set and a square of multiple paints. "It's this one. It comes with a bag to put them in, too."

Zelda nodded. "How much are they?"

"Seventy-five rupees."

The princess fished through her pocket to get the amount and paid the woman, receiving her paint supplies in a square bag that had a shoulder strap. Feeling very happy, she slung it on and went to look for Link. After a few minutes of searching, she saw him a few yards away, eyeing a man that was riding a horse laden with bags. Link noticed her, winked, gave a subtle hand motion for her to stay put, and then started walking towards the horse.

Zelda watched, curious as to what he was doing. Some of the man's belongings were sticking out of the bags. She tensed when she noticed this, wondering if Link was about to do what she thought he was. The criminal just started passing the horse, the two going opposite ways, when his hand snaked out and grabbed the hilt of a dagger that was hanging from a bag, sliding it free with perfect precision. He quickly tucked it into his pants, never breaking pace. The man on the horse glanced back at him, but Link gave no indication he was doing anything other than walking through the market. So the rider turned back around and guided his horse away.

Many emotions flashed through Zelda at once. She was impressed, certainly. But she was also horrified and angry. She made her way over to him, giving him a meaningful glare. His smile dropped as he said, "Too soon to put on a show for you?"

"Can we talk?" she seethed.

He sighed dramatically, looking around, before spotting a location. "Sure, follow me."

He led her away from the market area and around the back of a two-story building. The weeds grew thick in this area, and Zelda gingerly made her way through them as Link stopped behind one corner of the wall. There were no windows or doors around, and any people were too far away to worry about.

"Alright, what's the problem?" Link asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the building.

She gawked at him. "What's the _problem? _You stole that man's weapon."

He gazed at her passively. "I'm a thief, Princess. That's what I do."

He had a point. Why was she surprised he'd stolen? That's how she met him, after all. "I know, but I don't like it. I don't want to be involved."

He pushed off from the building, his tone sharpening. "You weren't involved. You did nothing to assist me."

"But I saw you."

She didn't like the expression that came over his face. It was dark, angry, and sarcastic. He took a step closer to her. "Oh, you saw, did you? How about next time I give you a heads up so you can cover your eyes and be blind to the harsh realities of the world you live in."

"It's a harsh reality _you _caused!" she snapped back.

"I am no more the cause of crime in this world than you are the cause of poverty." He took another step closer, leaning over her. She refused to back down, staring him solidly in the eyes. For once the blue of his eyes didn't make her stomach flutter. "If you ever do step foot in Trash City, Princess, I guarantee your paradigm will shift. The perfect way you view things, and the callous judgment you place on those who don't obey your rules, will shatter."

"I wouldn't dirty myself by going to a place like that," she retorted.

A grim smile went across his face as he backed up, holding his hands out. "You're right. You stay clean. The rest of us will wade through the mud and you can keep the one dry ground."

Zelda didn't like what he was insinuating. She put her hands on her hips. "I know about life in Trash City. I know what the poorer people of Hyrule do and how they live."

"And yet you do nothing to help," he shot back.

"They're beyond help! Just like you. You don't want help. You choose to live a life of crime. Even now when you have the rupees you steal."

He flung his arms out. "Yeah, you're right! You know everything about me and can judge me however you want."

She scowled, glancing away. "I want to go home, Link. Take me home."

"I'm trying," he growled. "Just one more day's journey and I can _pay _for a boat ride back towards the castle. Unless, of course, you'd like to leave now. You're free to go. But it will be on your own."

Zelda almost started walking away. Away from him, away from this town, and back to the safety of the castle.

But she didn't. She wasn't sure why she stayed. Maybe the thought of wandering through Hyrule Field hoping the army would find her scared her off. Maybe she wanted to prove him wrong and show she could tough this out one day more. Or maybe she was still intrigued by his mystery, and didn't want to leave without finding out who he was.

"No," she sighed, glancing away. "I'll stay until the border of Trash City for the boat ride."

He looked to the side, also, his shoulders heaving with one last heavy breath before he calmed. He looked at her more gently, then glanced down at her shoulder bag. "What did you buy?"

She fiddled with the strap. "A paint set. I like to paint, and do body-painting."

"I know, I remember the body-paint," he nodded. "I didn't know you just paint in general, though. That's, uh, neat."

"Yes, I do. Um, thanks." The conversation was sounding a bit awkward, but at least they were on more civil ground. "That's neat that you . . . sing."

A small smile tugged at his mouth. "You've never heard me sing before."

"You've never seen me paint."

His eyebrows shot up at that, bemusement written all over his face. "Ah, touché."

"So," she sighed, "where to next? What's our road like until Trash City?"

"Simple," he stated. "We'll leave this town and head southeast until we reach the Lumpy Pumpkin inn. We can spend the night there before heading east to the coast. Hopefully we'll catch a ride or get horses. We'll reach the docks before the sun sets."

Zelda knew that area of Hyrule's coast was only used by the less than savory population. It made her nervous to go, but she knew it had to be done. She helped Link escape the castle, and she was going to see this through until the end. At first glance her path seemed rather linear and easy. Get Link out of the castle, travel undercover with him to the coast, and then part ways. She could go back to the castle and pretend he'd kidnapped her. Which he somewhat did.

But then she would remember Veran. This Sorceress of Shadows was still out there, somewhere. And still hunting Link. She didn't know what she was going to do about that problem. But despite her frustration with him and with the situation, and despite her desire to get out of this, a part of her didn't want to leave him until Veran was stopped. Not just for his sake, but for Hyrule's. This woman was a huge threat. And she wouldn't be doing her job as the Princess if she didn't try to eliminate it.

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**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the week's delay! I've had a lot of things going on, all of them good, but they've been distracting me from my writing. **

**Thanks to Ashlee S, ShadowNinja1011, Alfred pierce, Neez, A Shadow's Lament, Kamil the Awesome, Gojira Geek, Guest, Shaveza, Mira Moonshine, thespiritmaiden, MajesticStallion, Zelink005, WolfenAmphithere, richardbg2, Mangageek26, , ZeLinkFanGirl, R. Recollect, tentsubasa, CosmicZelda, CaptainAzenor, Zeldafreak2000, GameCivilization, TDWfan, Y1'814, and Laurie Chausse for your reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda**

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**Part I**

**Chapter Six**

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The walk to the Lumpy Pumpkin Inn gave Link time to think. Zelda was being quiet, though the tension between them had eased. She was examining her new paint brushes in the evening light, Hyrule Field spread out around them. They had left the last town behind, and in the far distance he could see the warm lights of the Lumpy Pumpkin. About a half hour more, he figured.

He felt great. He felt so, so great. Even the arguments with Zelda couldn't damper his spirits. He was free. No more bars separated him from the rest of the world. He could feel the sun on his skin, the wind through his hair, and even grass under his boots. He could interact with people, and sleep on a bed, and carry a weapon at his side. He could choose what he ate, and now everything tasted so delicious. He craned his neck up to look at the darkening sky, seeing a full moon and the beginnings of stars.

How long had he been a prisoner? Months, certainly. Not over a year, but no one had bothered to give him the date or time in a cell. And with no sun to judge it by, no changing seasons, no holiday markers or calendars to see, he'd lost track. He was sure it wasn't over a year, but it may have been close.

"Link?"

He blinked, yanked from his thoughts. Zelda was a few feet ahead, looking back at him curiously. He realized he had stopped walking.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm just . . . thinking about all that time I spent locked up. I can't believe I have my freedom back."

He was surprised at the expression of sympathy that crossed her face. Surprised and a little angered by it. After all, she was behind the laws that locked him up. But he knew that was being unfair. She was just a part of the system. She didn't create it.

"But I'm fine," he said with a grin. "You know what I always say: Move forward and don't look back."

She laughed as they started walking again. "I didn't know you always say that, but I'll listen for it now."

They talked easily the rest of the way to the inn. As they approached it, Zelda slowed to a stop, looking it over. It truly was shaped like a giant pumpkin. Square windows let out an orange glow that lit up the night.

"Ah, I love this place," Link said, leading her towards the door. "It's very casual and no one questions you."

"It's . . . cute," she commented.

"That it is, Princess."

They went inside, greeted by a large circular room full of tables and customers. The air smelled of spices, and a girl was singing on a wooden stage. It was dimly lit by multiple lanterns, moths gathered around them.

They went up to the counter and Link bought a room for the night. The rupees were starting to run low. He'd have to save the rest for Zelda's boat ride home. As they headed away from the counter and towards the stairs, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Not right now," she answered. "Maybe later."

He looked back at her and saw, coming in through the front door, three soldiers. He grabbed hold of her arm, yanking her after him as he ducked around the side of the stairs and pressed his back against the wall. His heart leapt into his throat.

"What is it?" Zelda whispered.

"Soldiers," he breathed.

She looked at him in concern, then slowly leaned forward to get a glimpse into the dining area. She pulled back. "Captain Karane isn't there. They must just be a local patrol."

He visibly relaxed, closing his eyes a moment. The jolt of fear had left him light-headed.

"C'mon, Link, let's go up to our room."

She grabbed his sleeve and he let her lead him up the steps and to the door to the room. He unlocked it and they went inside, shutting it after them. It was a small, cozy space. Two beds were in this one, with a desk and a chair.

Zelda glanced out the window. "I probably won't be tired for an hour or so. What do you want to do?"

Link grinned as she turned back to him, shuffling a deck of cards in his hand. "You ever played any peasant card games?"

.

LoZ

.

King Daphnes didn't know what to do.

He was usually a somewhat active man, but now he just spent hours sitting in his throne. He had the curtains closed, the sunlight just barely lighting the place. He didn't want any sunshine right now. He couldn't feel happy unless Zelda was home.

Captain Karane was out searching, which was good. And he'd had the patrols doubled around Hyrule Castle City and had letters sent out over Hyrule. But it hadn't been that long. Most of the letters probably hadn't reached their destinations yet.

What bothered him most was that there was nothing he could do. He had to just sit and wait for something to happen. He was tempted to take a horse and go out looking himself. He'd even put on his riding boots and walked all the way to the stable door three times before turning around and going back inside. Leaving the castle wouldn't do any good. With the princess gone, Hyrule needed a steady and strong king.

He wanted the news of Zelda's kidnapping to not leave the military. But he was sure gossip or rumors were spreading. There was no need to get the country alarmed, so he made no formal statement about anything. The last thing he needed was country-wide panic. Or for other criminals to get their hands on his daughter.

That criminal . . . Link. He'd known it was a bad idea sparing his life! He should have ignored Zelda's request and hung him. He had been so close to bringing him to execution a second time, also. Maybe he should have just had his head removed that night and been done with it. He didn't know why Link would kidnap Zelda. There had been no ransom notice. If it wasn't to hold her hostage, then why?

Daphnes rubbed the bridge of his nose. Zelda was the only family he had. He couldn't lose her. She'd never been outside Hyrule Castle City. She was probably so lost and confused. So scared. Danger was everywhere. But he had to stay behind these stone walls.

Lacking anything else to do, the king bowed his head and prayed for her safe return.

.

LoZ

.

Zelda laughed, throwing her head back, three cards clutched in her hand and a plate of half-eaten cake at her side. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

"I'm being serious!" Link exclaimed, laughing just as much. His face was flushed and he was holding his own set of a cards. "He ran out of there as naked as the day he was born! He was _that _afraid!"

Zelda shook her head, wiping away tears from her eyes. "That story cannot be true, Link."

"It is!"

They had been playing for an hour after he had gone down to get them some food. They'd both had small sandwiches, but she could tell he was craving chocolate by the large cake he brought up. She was in the mood for something sweet herself. The object of the game was to win each round by having cards with higher numbers. The winner had to request something from the loser. Zelda learned quickly this was merely a game to laugh and have fun. With requests from Link like "tell me the worst joke you've heard" and "try to lick your elbow".

"Okay, okay," Link sighed, catching his breath. "Here's my move." He laid down a four-card and a three-card.

She gazed at him, with his wide smile and shining blue eyes. It made her realize his youth. He couldn't be more than a couple years older than her, if that. He was so very young to be running for his life and waiting on death row.

She looked down at her own cards. She then played a four-card and a five-card. Giggling, they both took hold of a card from their hands, waiting for the other to make a move.

And all at once they slammed both down, Zelda with a four and Link with a five, making her final score for this round ahead of his.

"Oh no!" he laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, you go."

She thought for a moment, staring at him. Then she said, "Tell me something no one knows."

He was still laughing as his eyes drifted to the side, thinking. But then the laughter subsided, the energy draining from his eyes. His voice was soft as he answered, "That I'm actually really scared of Veran. I'm terrified." He met her gaze. "The thought of losing control of myself, of becoming someone's pawn to take over Hyrule . . . it's the worst thing." A small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. "I've never told anybody that. I don't want anybody worrying or to think I'm weak."

Zelda blinked, taken aback by his sincerity. "Why did you tell me?"

He shrugged. "I guess because I don't know you very well. So I don't care how you judge me. And we're going to part ways tomorrow, so . . ."

She nodded, thinking this over. Not wanting him to feel too exposed, she said, "You know, I've always hated the rules of the castle. The routines, the expectations, the way they stifle personal expression. I've never told anybody that, because it would disappoint them. It's hard enough to fight my father on letting me body-paint."

"Why doesn't he like you to body-paint?"

She shook her head. "Because it's a 'young person' thing and not his generation. It's new and it's contemporary and he doesn't know how to handle it. He thinks the princess shouldn't follow the trends of the peasants."

"Seems a little narrow-minded," Link remarked.

"Yeah, I think so, too."

"Well, you bought a new paint set!" he told her. "Go on, paint something."

She grinned, reaching down to grab her bag off the floor. She took out the paint and brushes, moving her cup of water closer. "Any suggestions?"

"Something green. I like green. It's my favorite color."

She smiled and wet her paintbrush, dipping it into the green. Just a light amount, it didn't take much to make a solid line. Looking herself over, she decided on the back of her left forearm. She held it out, her skin seeming pale in the lantern light, and started painting.

Link was watching with fascination, his head tilted to one side. She tried not to smile too widely at his interest. No one had ever cared about her body-paint. Even Mila would just make vague compliments before talking about herself again. Zelda created a curving pattern that ran over her skin, accenting it with spirals to make it seem wild like the wind. It took her nearly ten minutes until she was satisfied. Then she washed the brush off and put her paint set up, holding her work out for Link.

He looked over it, grinning. "That's really pretty. You're very talented."

The princess laughed. "Thank you. No one's ever complimented my body-paint before."

He leaned back, stretching as he rolled his shoulders. "It's getting late. We should probably sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"It is."

They put up their game and finished off the cake. The bed wasn't very comfortable but Link was asleep instantly. Zelda tossed and turned for awhile before sleep claimed her as well. But her dreams were filled with shadowy images of Veran chasing them. Of Link being possessed and attacking her. And she would scream at him, trying to get him to remember who he was.

.

LoZ

.

The docks on the edge of Hyrule were foggy at this time of evening. The ocean stretched out dark blue under an orange sky. A few ships and boats were visible further out. The water sloshed against creaky wooden docks, and Zelda was amazed the one she was standing on didn't break underneath her. A cool wind tugged at the cloak she had wrapped around herself. The green body-paint was still on her forearm, despite the long day of travel they had had once they'd left the Lumpy Pumpkin Inn.

Link extended his arm, pointing out to the horizon. "You see that big dark lump with the lights coming from it? Way out there?"

She squinted through the fog, the wind blowing a dirty and salty smell against her. She could make out an angled island-like structure. Multi-colored lights glowed from it, showing that it was inhabited. She had no idea what it was, though. "Yes. What is it?"

"Trash City."

She blinked, surprised. "It's an island?"

He sighed. "Have you been completely ignorant your whole life? Yes, it's an island. The ship is coming soon to take me there. It comes once a week to take people to and from the island. It'll probably arrive about the same time your boat does." He grinned at her. "The sailor is trustworthy, he's a good man. I'll pay him for this ride."

"Okay. Thank you for doing this."

"Oh, no, thank _you _for helping me escape. And, uh, saving my life."

Zelda smiled. "My Triforce wasn't wrong about you. You're special."

He looked away, out at the horizon. She stared at him a moment before lapsing into her own thoughts.

She was having doubts about leaving him. He'd be on his own again with Veran hunting him down. It would be like nothing had changed since he'd first been taken to Hyrule's prisons. And Zelda didn't like that idea. She wanted to feel as if she had made the situation better somehow. But she hadn't. She'd just offered her sympathy and now she was going back to the safety of her home and he was still in danger.

Losing Link also meant losing her only connection to Veran. How was she supposed to find out more about this Sorceress of Shadows? How could she track her down or combat her? This young criminal was the only predictor of Veran's whereabouts. And he knew so much about her abilities and tactics. His information was irreplaceable.

Zelda shook her head, sighing. Well, there was nothing to be done about it. They were going their own separate ways. She couldn't bring him back to Hyrule Castle. And it's not like she could go with him to Trash City.

. . . Could she?

Zelda blinked, a new idea taking form. What if, theoretically, she _didn't _go back to the castle? What if she went with him to Trash City? He could keep her safe, and she could keep him safe from Veran. They could try to stop her together. At least Zelda could find out more about the situation and devise a plot to take down this threat.

She paused, discreetly glancing up at him. "Link . . . is Trash City dangerous?"

He chuckled. "Depends. If you're a soldier, then yes. There aren't any laws or any government there. But all us criminals that stay there do so to escape. It's our safe haven. With this kind of population of course it's dangerous. But not in the way you're thinking. You can walk the streets without worrying of being mugged any more so than if you were in Hyrule Castle City. It's just . . ." he tilted to the head, squinting his eyes, "it's just a different lifestyle. I feel safer there than anywhere else."

"And if . . . I came to Trash City with you, would I be safe?"

"Of course. I mean, you would blend in with the crowd, given how dirty you are right now. And I would keep you safe, naturally. But you'd never go into Trash City, so you . . . don't . . . have . . . to . . ." He drifted off, eyeing her with curiosity and then surprise. "Are you thinking about coming with me? _Not _going home?"

She took a breath, facing him. "I just think there's unfinished business with you. And I want to complete it."

"But what about the king?"

"He'll just think I'm still kidnapped. And when I do get back home, I'll explain everything to him. I'm sure when he learns about the greater threat I was investigating he'll calm down . . . hopefully. That's not important," she shook her head. "I want to do this."

"It's not pretty in Trash City," he warned. "If you were disturbed by me stealing that man's knife then you're going to have a panic attack seeing what these people do."

"I can handle it," Zelda snapped indignantly. "I'm not a child."

A bemused smile crossed his face, and he responded, "Okay, well, if you want to come with me I will keep you close and protect you. But if you get there and change your mind, you can't leave again until this time next week. Understand, Princess?"

"I understand."

The light of many lanterns cut through the fog as a small ship drew closer. It creaked and swayed on the water, coming into the dock.

"That's my ship," Link said. "Or, perhaps, _our _ship?"

She took a deep breath, considering one last time if this was what she wanted. Deciding it was, she answered, "Yes, _our _ship."

When it docked many haggard people climbed off, most with heavy bags on their backs. As the plank cleared and the captain cried for people to board, Zelda stared up at the ship with a thrill of nervousness. The red evening sun made the ragged sails seem transparent. She was aware of a few other people boarding. Link took her arm and then she was being led onto the deck. The gravity of the situation weighed on her. Even if it was only for a week, she was leaving the safety of Hyrule behind and going to Trash City. With a criminal who was running from a sorceress that possessed people.

Zelda found herself laughing at the strangeness of it all.

"Do you get sea sick?" Link questioned with a grin as they leaned against the railing, watching the dark waters below.

"I don't know, I've never been at sea," she confessed.

"Goodness, you have got to get out more often!"

" . . . You're right, I do."

When the ship took off again, Zelda's short hair blew back from her face and the ship bobbed under her. The sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, making the world around her darker. She could barely see the stars through the fog. Several minutes passed in silence.

"Why do you want to help me?" Link suddenly asked.

She blinked, turning her head to him. "What?"

"You came along to complete the 'unfinished business'. So why do you want to help me?"

"It's not just you, it's Hyrule-"

He held up a hand, shaking his head with frustration. "No, I know that. But if you hated me then you wouldn't care what happens. You'd leave me and find another way to stop Veran. You might even wait until she possessed me and then kill us both at the same time! But you didn't, because you don't hate me. So why do you care?"

She paused, considering this. He had a point. She chose her words carefully, not wanting him to think she cared _too _much. "You're . . . hurting. You may be a criminal, but you're not really that bad of a guy. I don't think you deserve the fate that you have. And you don't deserve for Veran to take control of you, either."

He gave a small smile, looking out at the water. "I appreciate it."

It was two hours before they arrived in Trash City. Zelda kept watching the island as they drew near, expecting them to be there already. But they kept sailing, and it kept getting bigger. It was massive. At least the size of Hyrule Field. As they pulled up to the dark docks Zelda could see ramshackle buildings that stretched up a few stories, dwarfing small shacks tucked between them. The place was lit with many lanterns that had been painted different colors so that there were multiple colors that lit the docks. Green, blue, red, orange, purple. She could hear a rowdy fiddle being played somewhere in the shadows that the lights didn't touch. The smell wasn't too pleasant, either. And it was obvious why it was called Trash City. The whole place was littered with trash. There were even massive piles of it as tall as the three-story buildings.

"You know why it's called Trash City?" Link asked as they descended the walkway, leaving the ship and getting onto the island. "You know why all this trash is here?"

"No," she confessed.

"It used to be a dumping ground for Hyrule, before you and I were born. All the trash was shipped out here. But when people started living here, the trash was disposed of in other ways. We still get ships sometimes that drop garbage off. But, as you can tell, the people on this island have made use of it."

Zelda looked around, taking in the details. Everything did seem to be made out of trash. She spotted one shack with the name "Little Smoke Shop" painted on it. The walls were rusty metal slabs bolted together. A porch was held up by axles from a carriage. A broken vase sat near the door.

Link flashed her a grin. "Regretting your decision, Princess?"

She lifted her chin. "No. So what do we do first?"

"Get some rest. Follow me."

And so they went into Trash City.

**.**

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**End of Part I**

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* * *

**In one of my college classes, my professor told us about a real "trash city" where the people lived among piles of garbage. And he told us about the kind of crime and lifestyles those people had because that was the only way they could make their living. While certainly not as flashy and city-like as my Trash City is, it served as the inspiration for this part of the story, and thus influenced a great deal of the plot. **

**Please review!**


	7. Part II Chapter 7

**Ugh I know, I know! For some reason I've had no motivation to write anything. Sometimes that just happens. But at last I've gotten this chapter done. Not as long as I hoped, but I was glad just to reach my minimum word mark. I promise, though, whether I'm updating every week or once a month, I'll never leave this story for any extended amount of time and I've completed everything I've ever written. So don't worry about this story being unfinished! **

**Thanks to From Dust to Ashes, ShadowNinja1011, R. Recollect, katieOot, Mangageek26, justdoodlingaround, Neez, MajesticStallion, WolfenAmphithere, thespiritmaiden, Kamil the Awesome, Laurie Chausse, Anon69, Zelink005, tentsubasa, Alfred pierce, GameCivilization, , CosmicZelda, Black Lotus13, Shaveza, Mira Moonshine, A Shadow's Lament, Guest, Gojira Geek, sonicxjones, Sheikah Moon, Zeldafreak2000, Mondopartyman, igottawiimote and CaptainAzenor for your reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda**

* * *

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**Part II**

**Chapter Seven**

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**.**

_Link had known better. And he was angry at himself for falling for the trick. He'd seen that blonde gambler a few times before and she'd never bothered to give him a second glance. Which didn't upset him; he wasn't interested in her type. Or any woman for that matter. He was better off alone. Everyone he cared for always got hurt in the end. _

_Then suddenly she came up to him at the pub in central Trash City, talking to him and running a finger over his hand. If he was being honest he had kind of liked the attention. Just a little taste of what he was depriving himself of. _

_But that was when she had slipped up. She called him by his name, and he had never told her his name. When he asked her, he could see the stunned disappointment in her eyes. Veran was usually cool and composed, she didn't often slip up. But he knew the look in her eyes when she did. Or the look through the eyes of the person she was possessing. _

_He'd gotten out of there as quickly as he could. He ran and ran and ran through the dark labyrinth that made up the streets of Trash City. It was raining, and he'd stumbled on things he couldn't see. The rain made his clothes stick to him and his eyelashes heavy. _

_He had ducked behind a rickety shop to catch his breath, his side cramping. This was the first time Veran had ever caught him in Trash City. It was why he preferred the island so much. It was easy to get lost here. Easy to stay secret and out of sight. _

_A hand suddenly latched onto his shoulder, nails digging into him. He turned and buried his foot in the blonde woman's stomach, making her double over. He got to his feet and took off running again, brushing off a spider that clung to his shoulder. _

_The chase had gone on the rest of the night before Link finally lost her. He had finally made his way down to the sewers and swam through some thick muck before wedging himself in a dark and cold niche. For an hour he lied there with his hand over his heart, afraid it was beating too loudly. _

_He didn't cry, though. He wanted to, but tears had never done him any good. This was his life. And self-pity wouldn't save him. Only he could make sure he survived to see the next day. _

_._

_._

_._

Link slowly opened his eyes, frowning at the memory. He had had many encounters with Veran over his life. Often they wormed their way into his sleep. He didn't mind going back over the chases; it gave him a chance to consider her patterns and how to better avoid her. But he didn't like dreaming about them. He didn't want to see her more than he had to.

He sat up, pushing the blanket off of him and running his fingers through his hair. He glanced over at Zelda a few feet away. Still sound asleep in the hammock. She deserved the rest.

After another hour of walking he'd taken her to his hidden home. It was just an oval space, the walls rusted metal, hidden within a pile that was half trash half building. Some blankets were thrown on the floor to make it softer. He had a hammock hanging from the ceiling, half of a couch that he'd sewn up so it looked better, and a lopsided dresser where he kept his few belongings.

Some light barely came in through tiny cracks in the ceiling, illuminating his home in a gray twilight. He crawled over to the dresser and tugged open the bottom drawer, examining the contents. Nope, all of his food had gone bad. They'd have to find something out in the city.

He changed into a fresh pair of pants and his old boots, glad to be back home. There was only one other person who knew about this place. He had reservations about bringing Zelda, but there was nowhere else to put her. The safest place was with him.

Zelda groaned, and he glanced over to see her sitting up, looking around in semi-confusion.

"Good morning, Princess," he greeted, smiling. "Sleep well?"

She nodded, rubbing her face to get the circulation going. "Ugh . . . I need my vanity. I'm probably a mess."

His smile changed into a smirk as he stretched his back, securing a dagger on his belt. "I have a small mirror if that will be of any help."

"It will, thanks." She got up, slowly making her way over to him. "Am I supposed to wear these same clothes today, too?"

"Well, of course. No one will notice. You can go shopping if you want, but not with my rupees."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Goodness forbid. I still have some of my own. Though I hope you have a plan for some income."

He sighed. Providing for a second person wouldn't be easy, but he could manage. "Of course I do work, Princess. Actually today I'm going to need to look for a job. Traveling here from Hyrule Castle wasn't cheap."

He handed her the foggy mirror and Zelda examined herself in it, cringing. She was a mess. She had never looked so disheveled in her entire life. She couldn't believe she was about to go in public like this. When she noticed Link watching her she smoothed her hair self-consciously. "Don't look, I'm ugly today."

A surprised laugh escaped him, and he plucked the mirror from her hand. "You couldn't be ugly. Now let's go find breakfast!"

They left his home through a secret tunnel that he always had covered up. It was a ten minute walk to get through it, most of the time ducking and once crawling to get through the passage. Zelda could barely remember coming in this way the night before; she'd been so tired. But now that she really took it in, she felt sorry for him. Living in such a secluded place was probably the only way he felt safe.

At last they exited and made their way out of the half-building half-trash pile and into Trash City in the daylight. Zelda blinked as she took it in, the sunlight shining off all the metal around. But a haze still lingered over the island, and the haphazard streets were tightly tucked between buildings. And she could make out many, many more people. It was a true city, with so many going about their day. Although some were just sitting around, and about half of those drinking. Everyone was dirty and scraggly. Children ran without shoes, men had clothes barely stitched together, and women wore too much make up.

"Where are we going for breakfast?" she asked.

He led the way, pointing. "There's a bar up ahead that serves the best breakfast. And best of all I get it for free."

"Breakfast in a bar?" she asked, frowning.

"Oh, don't worry, I have privileges there. We'll go through a back door and get to eat in the storage room."

She eyed him suspiciously. "And why is it you have privileges here?"

A genuine smile spread across his face as they turned down a street that was roughly paved with stones and descended rickety steps to a building that was nestled in a dark corner. "I want to introduce you to the woman who owns this place. Ever since my parents died, she raised me. I owe my life to her, without a doubt."

She blinked, surprised. She was about to meet the woman who had been like a mother to him since the Kakariko Village fire. She wasn't sure what to think that this woman also owned a bar. "Oh . . . I'd love to meet her."

"You'll like her," he winked. "Everyone does. Her name is Telma." He stopped at the back door to the bar and knocked out a rhythm. When he did, he felt his throat get dry. It had been so long since he'd done that knock. He was sure Telma had heard by now that he wasn't executed. But he could only imagine the distress she must have been in, knowing he had been sentenced to death. It made him feel guilty for getting caught. Feel guilty for giving up while he was in prison.

There was a pause and the door opened up to reveal a robust, dark skinned woman with full lips and red hair that was tied back. Her dark eyes focused on Link, and then she broke into sobs, wrapping her strong arms around him and pulling him into a tight hug. He returned it, burying his face in her shoulder and trying not to cry himself.

Zelda stood there and watched. And she knew she had made the right decision coming to Trash City with Link.

"Oh my goddesses, Link!" Telma cried. "Don't you _ever _scare me like that again!"

"I know, I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice muffled by her shirt.

She pulled back, holding him at arm's length and looking him over, as if to be sure he was in one piece. "Oh . . . I could slap you right now. Come inside, come inside." She noticed Zelda. "Who is this?"

"I'm his friend," she supplied, taking a step forward. "My name is, uh, Mila."

"Is she safe?" Telma directed the question to Link.

He nodded. "Yes, I trust her."

Seeming satisfied, Telma ushered them inside. The storage room was large and square, with boxes ringing the walls. A rusty chandelier hung overhead. There was a round table with a few chairs, and a stack of newspapers in one corner.

As soon as the door closed Telma and Link hugged again, not saying a word. Zelda silently took a seat, looking away until they both parted.

"I love you," the red-haired woman sighed, gazing at Link. "I'm so happy to see you're okay. I read that the Princess had spared your life and a few days later you escaped the castle."

He nodded as the two of them sat at the table, the chairs creaking under their weight. "That I did, that I did."

"What happened? How did you get caught? Why did the princess spare your life?"

Link shrugged, not giving a glance in Zelda's direction. He didn't want Telma to suspect the young woman of anything. "I twisted my ankle running from the soldiers and so they caught me. I was put on death row rather quickly, as you can imagine. Captain Karane was very eager to get me out of her life. I was pretty scared when I was taken to be executed . . ." He trailed off for a moment, feeling the fear again in his gut. But it was over, and so he pushed the feeling away and went on, "Princess Zelda said she saved me because her Triforce of Wisdom told her so. But she didn't know anything more than that."

Zelda resisted the urge to huff. It wasn't her fault she didn't know.

"But Veran attacked the castle," Link continued, meeting Telma's eyes. "I used that to my advantage and escaped. And I've been traveling ever since. Mila here," he tilted his head in the blonde girl's direction, "met me at a tavern and we bonded rather quickly. She's on the run, too, stole some money from her overbearing father who wants her to marry a rich snob to pay off his gambling debt."

Zelda tried not to roll her eyes in exasperation.

Telma looked to her. "Are you sure about coming here, honey? This place isn't for the faint of heart."

"I can handle it," Zelda replied. "I'm tough."

"She knows about Veran hunting me to possess me, and that we don't know the reason yet," Link told his mother figure. "But she wants to help out in whatever way she can."

"That's kind of you," the woman smiled. "Link must really like you to trust you with this information."

"I like him," Zelda responded. "Well, some of the time."

The two females laughed and Link narrowed his eyes. He cleared his throat and said, "So, Telma . . . anything new going on here?"

"Oh, the usual," she answered, still chuckling. "But, sweetie, I have some bad news." She leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. "Cohen and his group were asking about you."

Zelda saw the instant change come over Link. He stiffened, the humor dropping from his face and his brow furrowing. He was quiet several seconds before he replied, "Asking about me? What for?"

Concern crossed Telma's face. "He said he had a job for you. I told him you weren't on the island, but he said he knew all about you being arrested. He was sure you'd escape and come back here."

Link seemed to relax again, leaning back in his chair. "Guess I'll have to avoid them. I don't do jobs for that group anymore, they're crazy." He twirled a finger next to his head.

"More than that, they're _dangerous, _honey," the woman said. "You steer clear of them. I worry about you enough without needing be anxious over Cohen bothering you."

He held up his hands, giving an innocent smile. "I'm always fine, don't worry."

The conversation drifted on to questions about the bar was going and asking about specific people they both knew. Zelda studied the cracks on the table as she thought about this Cohen. He obviously worried Link. And that made her worried. She wondered what jobs Link used to do for him, and why their relationship had gone sour.

Telma brought them out a breakfast of eggs and buttered bread with some cold milk. It wasn't extravagant, but Zelda thought it tasted delicious all the same and ate every bit. She was famished from the travel here. For Link, it was the best meal he'd had since last time he left Trash City.

Conversation drew to a close and Link stood up, causing Zelda to do the same. "Well, it's been great seeing you, Telma. I'm sorry I gave you a scare like that. But I'm all fine!" He gestured to himself and grinned. "Maybe we'll come by again tomorrow for some breakfast."

The red-haired woman stood also. "My door is always welcome to you, honey. Whenever you want." She looked to Zelda. "It was nice to meet you, Mila. You stay safe and don't leave Link's side. People 'round here can sniff out innocence in a heartbeat and take advantage of you."

"I'll be careful, thank you," Zelda returned.

The woman looked to Link. "Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" He nodded and they moved over to a corner. Telma's voice was a harsh whisper as she said, "What in Hyrule are you up to?"

He blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"The girl! This Mila, if that's even her name. I know you. You don't tote around people you meet, bringing them to your home and introducing them to the woman who raised you. I assume you took her into your hidden home, too?"

He glanced to the side. "Maybe . . ."

"_Link! _Are you sure she's safe? Are you sure she isn't a pawn of Veran's?"

"I'm positive. Really, Telma, the one thing I'm sure about is that Mila is safe."

"I don't get this," the woman sighed. "No, I just don't. You've never done this before." Her eyebrows shot up before she narrowed her eyes. "You're not in love with her, are you?"

"Oh goodness, Telma, no!" He sighed. "I just trust her. So you need to trust me on this." He couldn't say anything else or risk Telma's safety even more than it already was risked. Veran knew about Telma. But he didn't want to burden her with knowing he had the Princess with him. It would put undue pressure on her if any soldiers came calling. Or bounty hunters, but he doubted the King would hire them.

"I know you're not telling me everything, but I do trust you," Telma said in a tone that conceited defeat. "Just be careful."

"I will, always." He smiled, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you."

She squeezed him tight, as if he could slip through her arms. "I love you, too."

Zelda waited patiently by the door until Link returned and they walked out together and back into the bustling city.

"She was nice," Zelda commented.

"She always is."

"Does Veran know about her?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Zelda paused, then ventured. "Has she ever been possessed by Veran?"

She could see his adam's apple roll as he swallowed. "Once. Some years ago. It was terrifying."

.

LoZ

.

Veran didn't like having to work behind the bar at the inn. She especially didn't like the body of the hairy, sweaty man she was in. But this was where Captain Karane's group was staying, and if she wanted the opportunity to get some information, then this was her best bet.

She leaned on the top of the bar, looking around at the room. This was a big inn, with plenty of room for the twenty soldiers Karane had brought along. Veran disliked that woman. She kept Link on the run even more so than he already was. And then she had locked him up for nearly a year and made it all but impossible for Veran to sneak him out. But she supposed things had worked out for the best in the end. Now if she could only get back on his trail, she'd be in a much better mood.

It was midday and not many customers were in the large dining area. Except for all the soldiers having their lunch. Captain Karane was sitting in a corner, her face scrunched up as she stared at a map and made notes on it. No doubt keeping track of where they'd been. Veran knew she needed to get a look at that map. That would tell her more than any of the soldiers would.

A younger soldier came up to the bar. "I'll have another house salad." He smiled. "I need to stick to my diet. Only five more pounds to lose!"

She inwardly rolled her eyes. "Good for you. I'll have your order sent up." She scratched down the order on a piece of paper and pushed it to where the waitress would pick it up. She couldn't stay here too long. It was only a matter of time before she did something this bar man usually didn't do and the employees would get suspicious. "So," she said, leaning closer to the soldier. "Your boss back there doesn't look too happy."

The young man laughed. "Nope, she's stressed over finding a rogue criminal. We're an elite team she picked to hunt him, you know. I have the best archery shot in Hyrule."

"Thinking of killing him?"

He shrugged. "We're supposed to respond to the situation in the best manner possible."

Veran mentally pursed her lips. This wouldn't do. She needed Link alive. She definitely had to beat Captain Karane to him. "That's a lot of stress for your boss to be under."

He shook his head, sighing. "She's always been a tough as nails person, but she's even stricter on this mission. I didn't think we were ever going to get a break."

"I bet. Anything I should bring her to lift her spirits?"

He thought for a moment. "Hm. Well she likes green tea if you've got any. It calms her nerves, or so I've heard from Kev."

Perfect. "I'll have one whipped up."

The man's salad came and he returned to his table at the same time the waitress got the tea. Veran politely but pointedly took it from her and said she would serve it to the army captain. She made her way through the tables, irritated at the big belly of the man she was possessing. How could he possibly make it through each day carrying so much weight? The soldiers talked and laughed as she passed them, drinking and eating and resting from hard travel.

She came up to the corner table where Karane was at. "Ma'am, I brought some green tea for you. On the house. For the good service you do our country."

Karane snapped a look up, frowning. "How did you know to bring that drink?"

Veran winked. "I've worked this inn for many years. I can tell what people drink just by looking at them."

This seemed to neither amuse nor worry the captain. She sat down the map, dropping her forehead into one hand, and taking the cup. She took a long drink, and Veran seized the opportunity to look at the map. The villages and cities that were crossed off. The route they were taken that was roughly drawn in. Her eyes flicked over it and committed it to memory in seconds. It wasn't too hard. The group was working its way back and forth across Hyrule Field from the castle, with everything checked except the far borders.

"Anything else I can do for you?" Veran asked once Karane sat the cup down.

"No, thanks," the captain said shortly, hunching over the map.

Veran nodded and turned, heading back to the bar and inwardly smiling. Link must have gotten pretty far into Hyrule. She wondered if he would head back to Trash City, or stick around here. Just because the villages were crossed off didn't necessarily mean Link wasn't there. He was very good at hiding. But it was less likely, so Veran wouldn't double check. As soon as the time was right, she'd exit this vile man's body and continue her search. She wouldn't even need to worry about killing the man. Any ravings he might have about being possessed would be written off as a drunken stupor.

She returned behind the bar and noticed Karane talking to an older soldier, pointing over at her. She looked down, focusing on setting out some cups. She tried to think of something she may have said or done to make the captain suspicious, but nothing came to mind. She glanced up and saw Karane hand a rolled piece of parchment to the old soldier, and he began heading to the bar.

"Hello," he said once he arrived. "My name is Jon. I'm wondering if you've seen either of these Hylians?" He unrolled the parchment and put it down on the bar.

Veran frowned, studying the drawing. One was of Link. The second was of a pretty blonde girl that she didn't recognize, but did seem somewhat familiar. This troubled her. Was Link traveling with somebody? He hadn't done that since he'd outgrown that Telma woman. Who was this girl? And was she a threat? She didn't look particularly dangerous, but Veran knew great power could come in the most innocent-looking packages.

"Are they traveling together, or two separate people you're searching for?" she asked.

Jon replied, "We're unsure of their current status. They could be together or split apart by now."

Veran glanced up at him, then shrugged, going back to setting out the cups. "Nope. I've never seen them."

.

.

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**Please review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow this month got away from me! I've barely written at all. And I had things I wanted to address in this chapter that are more indirect, so it was hard to find a way to write them. But here is chapter eight, so sorry about the delay! **

**And over 200 reviews?! When did this happen? You guys are the best, thank you! **

**Thanks to tentsuba, ShadowNinja1011, Kamil the Awesome, Gojira Geek, R. Recollect, GameCiviliazation, A Shadow's Lament, Shaveza, MajesticStallion, TheTotalIceWolf, WolfenAmpithere, TheSpiritMaiden, Zelink005, igottawiimote, Mira Moonshine, Mondapartyman, Mangageek26, Zeldafreak2000, Y1'148, ExilEden, j, Michiefmanged2371, Rhinestone99, and LaurieChauss for your reviews! **

**Y1'148: **It's no problem, when people ask me about updating it does help me get motivated! This month has just been busy and I wasn't sure how to frame what I wanted to accomplish with this chapter. But I like how it turned out. Thanks!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda**

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**Part II**

**Chapter Eight**

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Zelda couldn't believe she was in this place. Not just Trash City, _that_ she could believe. She'd been here nearly a week now and was growing accustomed to it. Accustomed to hiding in Link's small home every night, of getting food where they could, of the very scary people she'd sometimes see out in the streets. She was even used to Link sneaking out every once in awhile. She knew what he was doing. But on this island criminal activity was common. She tried not to let it bother her.

But now she was in a night club. It was dark with multicolored lights ringing the room and giving off faint glows. The tables were crowded with people, the servers having to worm their way through an obstacle course of chairs and legs. It smelled of alcohol, though Zelda just had a water cup with her in her corner booth, hidden in the shadows. She had never approved of drinking. Anything that could make people act like fools, get into fights, have affairs, and break the law she wanted no part of. She would never have agreed to come to _The Night Lights _if Link hadn't been singing. He offered for her to just stay in his secret home while he was out for a few hours, but the curiosity to watch him had gotten the better of her. Plus she wanted to support him earning rupees in a way other than outside of the law.

Some girl was on the stage now, singing a love song with a dripping voice and a low-cut dress. Zelda shifted uncomfortably. Despite being more accustomed to Trash City, she felt so out of place. Like people could see right through her and tell she didn't belong. Link had assured her this wasn't so, and she wasn't sure if that was a compliment or insult.

The girl finished, bowing as some rupees were put into the basket she brought along. She took it, blew a kiss to the audience, and walked off the stage.

A dark-skinned young woman came up, with her black hair pulled back into a ponytail and slanted eyes. Zelda had seen her come up between many acts and assumed this woman was in charge of the club. Her name was Jolene.

"That was a lovely song," Jolene commented, glancing back to where the last singer had disappeared behind the stage. "Now we have a very special performer coming up. Those of you who frequent this club – and I hope you do! – know he doesn't grace us with his presence too often. He's been gone for nearly a year now, rumored to be dead." She paused for effect. "But we all know the goddesses wouldn't let such a handsome face die so young." There was laughter and a few whistles. "Give a big welcome back to _Link_!"

As Jolene exited and Link bounded onto the stage, cheering greeting him, Zelda wondered if that big smile on his face was genuine, part of his stage presence, or a combination of both. He said something to the band and a faster-paced tune started up. And so the princess sat back and listened to him sing.

He had a jazzy and somewhat rough voice. She was glad she came to hear that, but wasn't sure what to think of his dark smiles and raunchy hip movements. The song was about a woman who was a heartbreaker, but quite the opposite seemed to be happening as young women crowded closer to the stage, holding shining rupees up in their palms. Zelda expected him to take the money, but instead he moved over to them and let them stick the rupees in the pockets of his pants. He was certainly a showman. He pointed at people, winked, slapped hands, and bounced around the stage.

He did a few songs before exiting the stage, sweaty and panting with a grin. He had told Zelda when he went behind the stage for her to come back, too. He didn't want any undue attention being drawn to her if he sat at her booth. So she quietly made her way through the room as a guitar player took the stage. There was a wooden door set into the wall. Jolene stood at it and watched the princess as she approached.

Zelda gave a small wave. "Um, Link said-"

"Are you Mila?" Jolene asked.

"Uh, yes, I am."

She inclined her head to the door. "Yeah, Link said you'd come. Go on inside."

The princess opened the creaky door and went into a smaller square room lit by many lanterns. A couple of the performers were back there, one getting ready to go back on stage and another drinking in the corner. Link was sitting at one of the tables, and he turned as she entered, smiling.

"What did you think?" he asked, hopping to his feet. "Did I melt your soul?"

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You're very talented, I'll grant you that. But don't push for compliments."

He leaned closer, arching an eyebrow and whispering conspiratorially, "I made three hundred rupees! Best haul in a long while!"

She was very impressed. Clearly he was a favorite at this club. Probably because he didn't perform too often and kept people eagerly waiting. "Nice work. What now?"

He looped his arm around hers in an over-friendly gesture. "We are going to sneak out of here to avoid my rabid fans. Maybe buy some cookies with my hard earned money."

She laughed and the door opened again. She turned to see who was entering. It was a bigger young man, with short blonde hair and a square jaw with a goatee covering it. Two other dark-haired young men followed him, hanging slightly back. She felt Link tense up next to her, and could almost sense the panic coming from him.

"Link!" the blonde exclaimed, spreading his arms as Jolene jumped in after them.

"I told you to stay outside!" the dark-skinned woman snapped. She unsheathed a curved sword from her hip. "Don't make me use this, buddy."

Link held up his hand. "It's okay, Jolene. I'm leaving, so I don't have time to talk to anybody."

The man tilted his head to the side. "Not even me? I have a job for you. One that only you can do."

Link narrowed his eyes, but kept his expression just short of angry. "I'm not interested, Cohen. And you know why. Now goodnight."

He all but dragged Zelda across the room, pushing open a side door and bounding into the cool night beyond.

And then he broke into a run. Squeezing her forearm tightly, he instantly dove into the shadows between the multicolored lights of the streets and ran. They went around piles of trash, hopped over obstacles in their way, and went past shady shops. Zelda was out of breath by the time Link slowed to a stop in an alley bordered by rusty metal buildings.

"Sorry," he said, giving a small smile as he panted. "I don't want to deal with him."

"Cohen?" she clarified. "The one Telma warned you about?"

"Yes."

"What did you mean, when you told him he knows why you're not interested in doing jobs for him?"

Link sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I've done some jobs for Cohen and his group. But they kept getting, uh . . . risky. Not for me, but for other people. Example, one time he wanted me to start a fire in a shop while people were still inside." He tilted his head, thinking. "In fact, I walked away from that mission and told him I'd never work for him again. Because he is crazy. Yeah . . . that was the word I used."

Zelda laughed. "You sure know how to make friends. I'm glad you got out of that situation, though."

"Me too." He glanced around, then back at the princess, scrutinizing her. "Tell me the secret words."

She rolled her eyes, but obliged by leaning close to his ear and whispering, "Secret dungeon visits."

"Great! Just had to make sure, you know? I did leave you alone in the club." He held out his arm. "Come along, my lady! It's time to head home."

They walked along the streets of Trash City, a crescent moon hanging overhead. It cut through the general smog that clung to the island, giving off some natural light in place of the lanterns.

After awhile Link said, "So you met Jolene, right?"

"I did."

"She's a long-time friend of Telma's. When we moved to Trash City, Jolene taught me how to fight. She's a pirate, you know. Pirates know how to fight."

"Interesting." Zelda glanced up at him. "How did you end up in Telma's care?"

"That's a story for another night," he answered evasively. "I did get offered a job after I sang. Someone gave Jolene a paper and she passed it to me."

"Couldn't it be Cohen?"

He shook his head. "No, that's not his style. Besides, I've done work for this woman before. She's very materialistic. She wants me to steal a diamond necklace off a trade ship that will be passing by the island tomorrow. There's just one teensy-tiny problem."

"What?"

"I need a partner. Someone to take control of the row boat to drop me off and pick me back up, you know?" He looked at her pointedly, wiggling his eyebrows.

She gasped, pulling away from him. "Oh no! I do not approve of your thievery, and I will not be a part of it."

"Pleeeease?"

"Can't you just get someone else?" she questioned, walking alongside him with her arms crossed.

"I could, but then I'd have to split the profits with him or her. And I'm already splitting everything with you, so it won't make a difference." He bounded in front of her, walking backwards, lowering his voice and looking at her sincerely. "Please, Princess? I really would like your help in this. And I promise I'll never ask you to help again."

Zelda let out her breath heavily in frustration. But he'd used her title instead of calling her Mila, so she knew he was being serious. "Oh, alright! But just this once."

.

LoZ

.

It was the early hours of the morning when Link and Zelda took a small and creaky rowboat out into the ocean. The sun was just a golden band on the horizon, and a fog clung to the water. It was bright and clear and Zelda could see her reflection perfectly in the waves, a wide-brimmed hat over her head. The oars were making her arms ache, but Link was currently lying down underneath a blanket and couldn't relieve her.

She knew the plan well. She was supposed to row slowly until the large ship overtook her. Link would get out at that time and sneak aboard. Then she would hurry and get to a small island that was mainly just a boulder and wait for Link to jump off the ship and meet her there. Simple.

It wasn't really her role she was worried about. Except for how much her arms were aching. She was worried about Link. What if he was caught? What if he was hurt? What if she spent the rest of her life alone in Trash City?

"You be careful," she whispered, glancing back and eyeing the approaching ship. "You're not leaving me alone to fend for myself."

She heard him chuckle and answer, "This isn't my first rodeo, Princess. Everything will be fine."

The ship drew near as she slowed her rowing, the water making her boat sway. It was a fancy ship, with eloquent carvings and pristine sails. There was no doubt it was for important cargo. As it came even with them she told Link as much. And like lightning he sat up, spun a grappling hook in his hand as he waited for the back of the ship to line up with them. Then he let loose. The hook caught the edge around the deck and he jumped off the row boat. Zelda watched him go, biting her lip with nervousness.

Link started to climb up the deck, his clothes wet. But he didn't go all the way up. He maneuvered himself to a round window and peered inside. Empty. Link climbed in, staying as silent as he could, and tugged his grappling hook after him.

The ship smelled very clean. The usual mildew, rat-infested smell he had grown accustomed to whenever he traveled on ships was not there. And of course, if this trading ship was carrying high-rupee cargo then it would be pristine.

He heard footsteps echoing in the hall. The door to the room he was in was open, so he dropped behind a barrel and held his breath. But the footsteps moved on by and faded.

Link stood up and crept to the door, his senses on full alert. He glanced up and down the long wooden hall, the ship swaying under his boots. It was clear, and he could see a staircase leading down at the end of the hall. Likely the cargo space and where he would find the diamond necklace.

He darted out and ran down the hall, staying on the balls of his feet to make as little sound as possible. He reached the stairs and stopped, catching himself on the railing. He could hear muffled voices down there. Pressing his lips together, Link slowly descended, eyes scanning the dark underbelly of the ship as he went further down into it.

At last he descended far enough where he could see the owners of the voices. Two men with their backs turned to him, working on stacking some heavy crates. Adrenaline rushed through him and he bounded down the steps and ducked behind a large chest, listening. The men's conversation went on; they hadn't heard him.

Link grinned and looked around, wondering where this necklace would be kept. The cargo area was big but not too full. He doubted it was in one of the crates or chests. It was probably in a small container by itself. He saw a few of those sitting about.

Creeping over to the nearest, he made no sound. Years and years of practice had enabled him to move as silently as he chose to. It was all about shifting his center his center of gravity. He kept the men in his peripheral vision, but they were still merrily working. He came to his destination, a small wooden chest. It had a lock, but the key was tied to it. He slipped the key inside and unlocked it, lifting the lid to peer inside.

No diamond necklace, but there was a bronze brooch. He picked it up and put it in his pocket, shutting the chest again.

Link turned his attention to the next closest item, a leather bag that was sitting atop a crate. It was closer to the workers, and he could feel his heart in his throat as made his way over to it, staying as low to the ground as possible.

One of the men glanced back, pointing at the stairs and making a comment about the captain. Link sunk lower behind a chest, feeling a spike of panic go through him. But when he peered around the corner the man had turned back around.

_Geez I need to get out of here, _Link thought, snatching up the leather bag. He looked inside and beamed. There was the diamond necklace. He took it out and looped it around his neck, feeling the heavy weight of it. Tucking it under his shirt, he put the bag back and retraced his steps.

He had gotten halfway up the steps before he heard a shout from across the cargo room. Link flinched and broke into a run, hearing the scrambling of the two men behind him. He took the steps two at a time, bounding into the hall. There was a sailor a few feet ahead of him, who stopped in shock.

"Thief! Stow away!" the men shouted from down the stairs.

_Snitches! _Link thought with irritation, as the sailor reached for his sword.

The criminal darted to him, ducking under the sailor's swipe and kicking his legs out. He turned on the balls of his feet back into the room he'd entered from. It was still empty, and he crossed the space in seconds and dove out the window.

It was a graceful dive, and he felt proud of himself as the wind blew through his clothes right before he slipped under the water. He kicked back to the surface, looking around. There was the island he was supposed to meet Zelda at, a large gray boulder that jutted up from the waves. And he smiled when he saw her little rowboat rocking against it. She straightened when she saw him, the large hat shading her face from the morning sun.

He glanced back at the ship, the water lapping at his neck. The crew on the deck were looking over at him, pointing and shouting. He turned and started swimming as fast as he could for the boulder. An arrow whizzed into the water beside him, prompting him to duck underneath to hide his form.

He saw the formation of the island and the rowboat casting their shadows into the deep ocean. He reached them as fast as he could, another arrow sinking behind him. Link emerged, gasping for breath, and clamored onto the boulder.

"Are you okay?" Zelda asked, alarmed.

"Yes, get me the bow, an arrow, and a flint." He stood up, his clothes dripping, keeping an eye on the ship as it started to turn towards them. Zelda reached into the bottom of the boat and produced a bow and an arrow with the tip wrapped in cloth that he'd brought along for such a situation.

Link took them, grabbed the flint and struck it against the rock to create a spark. The tip of the arrow caught fire. He notched it and aimed it at the sky in one fluid motion, letting it loose. It created an elegant arc through the sky before landing in the middle of the ship's deck. He could hear the commotion from where he was. He held out his hand and Zelda was quick to put another arrow into it.

"You're going to catch their ship on fire?" Zelda asked, her voice strained with stress.

"Not unless I have to," he told her. "That was a warning shot to let them know what I can do if they pursue me."

He watched the ship. It had stopped coming closer, but he could see some of the crew loosening the rowboats. So he lit the second arrow and pulled the bow back, aiming it. That caught the sailors' attention, and they retreated from the boats. Link held his stance until he could see the trade ship slowly begin turning away, giving up on this pursuit.

Link grinned, his shoulders relaxing as he dropped the burning arrow into the water. "Well, that was fun!"

"That was terrifying!" the princess protested. "Did you get the necklace?"

He reached into his shirt and pulled it out, the sunlight glimmering off of it. "It's a heavy thing."

"That's a huge diamond!" she gasped. "This woman better plan on paying you well."

"Oh, she always does. I even got a secondary prize." He pulled the brooch from his pocket. "I'll see if she will buy this, too. If not, I'll sell it on the market later."

Zelda nodded, glancing at the trading ship that was sailing away. "Will they come to Trash City to look for you?"

"I doubt it. They probably want to stay as far away from this island as possible." He winked. "Now let's get back ashore."

.

LoZ

.

Zelda didn't think much of the woman, Anna's, house when Link led her up to it. It was just a stucco square nestled between other ramshackle buildings. But after she let them inside and they went down a stairwell into her hidden room, Zelda was taken aback. And quite impressed. She had shelves lined with expensive items. Jewelry, art, specially made weapons, gems, and even a dress fit for royalty.

"This is amazing," Zelda observed, drifting into the center of the room.

Anna, a middle-aged woman with curly blonde hair and too much makeup, broke into a smile, "You like? It's taken me years to have all this collected."

"How do you keep it safe?" the princess asked. "Has anyone ever tried to break in and steal things?"

"Not many know about my collection. You're the only one who hasn't worked for me that's been down here, Mila. But I trust Link's judgment." She winked at him. "I have wolfos lurking around here. Anyone I don't let it myself . . . they eat." She gave a wicked grin. "And it _has_ happened before."

Zelda shuddered, walking slowly around the shelves.

"So, let me see the necklace!" Anna said, turning to Link.

He pulled it from under his shirt and took it off, holding it out to her. "Here you go, my dear."

She squealed, clapping her hands and taking it. "Oh, it's a beauty! It's almost a shame it will never get worn." She glanced sidelong at Zelda. "This would look good around your neck, I do believe. You're quite the young and pretty one."

The princess was taken aback at first, wondering if the necklace was being offered to her. But Anna just set it on one of the shelves and Zelda felt silly for the excitement that had come over her. Of course she wouldn't be given the necklace. People like Anna seemed nice enough, but they were self-centered and worked outside of the law.

"Here's your payment," the older woman handed Link a bag.

He looked in it, seemed satisfied, and said, "I also have a little surprised I picked up while on board the ship. If you're interested, that is."

"Oh show me! Show me!"

He pulled the brooch out of his pocket, the lantern light making it gleam.

Anna's eyes widened. "Oh, wow! That is _lovely. _I'm not letting you sell this baby to anyone else. I'll give you one hundred rupees for it."

He raised an eyebrow. "You know it's worth more than that."

"Naturally. But I know you wouldn't have gone out of your way to steal it."

"Hm, you know me well. Three hundred?"

"Two hundred."

He held out the brooch. "You've got yourself a deal."

She took it and set it on one of the many shelves, saying, "Give me a moment and I'll get your money."

As she disappeared from the room, Zelda walked over to Link and asked, "How does she have all this money?"

He shrugged. "She's probably hired people to steal some and split the profits. I know she sells her older items sometimes. She runs a little seamstress shop as well."

"Interesting. So this . . . kind of stuff is what you do? All the time?"

"Mostly. Someone hires me to steal or smuggle or other odd jobs. I do it, get an adrenaline rush, and go collect my payment."

Anna returned with another bag. "Here it is." She stopped close to him, peering up through heavy eyelashes. "You're always the best. I wish I had more jobs to hire you for." She cocked a smile. "And more money to pay you for your work."

He grinned. "It's always a pleasure working for you, Anna. Until next time."

Zelda tried not to let her jaw fall open too far when Anna tugged his face down and kissed him for quite a bit longer than she felt was appropriate. Then she pulled back, patted his chest, and went to arrange her items. The young man gave her a smile that dropped the moment she turned away.

Link and Zelda exited the home, walking out into the afternoon of Trash City. He glanced around the street and said, "Let's get something to eat."

"Link . . . hold on," she said as he started to walk. When he looked back she continued, "Why did you let her kiss you if it's not what you wanted?"

He gave a short laugh. "What makes you think I didn't want it?"

She crossed her arms, a breeze ruffling her short blonde hair. "Oh, please. No one frowns after a kiss if they enjoyed it."

"She kisses just fine."

"You know what I mean, stop being so stubborn and evasive!"

He pursed his lips, sizing her up, before sighing and saying, "Okay, okay. I didn't want the kiss because I'm not interested in her. Not even in the slightest. Although I know she finds me attractive and likes to flirt. She pays good money and has me do clean jobs. So if she wants to kiss me, she can. I'm not going to turn her away."

Zelda recoiled. "And at what point do you draw the line with physical contact?"

She saw anger cross his face. "I don't sell my body like that."

"Oh, do you? Letting random women kiss you, all that – that- _dancing _at the night club! I think you sell your body very well," she snapped.

Link took a step closer to her, glaring. "Excuse me, _Mila, _but not everyone comes from a culture where physical flirtation is only reserved for married couples. Out here, we do what we can to survive. So don't you dare judge me." He turned and started walking down the street, but not too quickly. So Zelda knew he still wanted to keep this day a good one.

She hurried up beside him, fishing for something to say to redirect the conversation. "I'm, uh . . . I'm glad I got to come with you today."

He glanced at her. "You are?"

"Yes, it was . . . exciting. And I don't want to be afraid of your jobs. I can be tough, too. I can help if you need me."

Link smiled. "I appreciate that."

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**Please review!**

**Plus my birthday is Wednesday! 8D **


	9. Haitus Notice

Dear Readers,

I hate to do this, but this fanfic is going on a temporary hiatus. I'd say 2-3 months. It could be sooner, or it could be later that I start posting again for it. I know for certain I'll have it going again before the end of the year.

As most of you know, I'm working on my original story that I want to get published. And it's been taking up all my time and focus. So much so that when I started writing the new Fighting Fate chapter this week, I just felt disconnected to the plot and characters. And I realized that I wasn't going to be able to put out my best work. I love this story too much to just throw something up for you guys to read.

I never like putting something on a temporary hold, but I know it's for the best. So that when I work on this fanfic again, it can have all my attention and live up to my expectations for it.

Those that follow my Twitter know how my writing has been going. For those that I haven't told or don't follow it yet, you can find the link on my profile. I update every weekend and I will keep you posted on my original writing and any updates concerning this fanfic's progress and hiatus.

Thank you all for the support! I'm overwhelmed by how great a response I've gotten for this story. Hopefully within a few months I'll be able to focus on it again and give it the attention to detail it deserves.

Until then!

Allendra


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